Unwilling Heart
by CathRakka
Summary: Loki wanted Thor to suffer. That's where Jane Foster would be useful. Her death would be agony to the God of Thunder... but, no. Perhaps it would be most agonizing if Thor lost Jane's love to none other than Loki himself? Takes place during and after Avengers. Loki/Jane
1. Chapter 1

**Hello lovely, lovely readers. :D **

**This is my first ever fanfic! I love to read them, but never thought I would write one. Last night, however, I had what I thought was a great idea for a Loki/Jane fic. I've given the first chapter a shot, the first two chapters will be a set up before Loki's true intentions for Jane are set into motion. Like I said, this is my first attempt at a fanfic, so please review and let me know if this is worth continuing. :) **

**My intention is to keep Loki in character as much as possible. As you all know his discovery of his true nature has left him full of hate and anger, but at the root of that is insecurity and loneliness. He'll be a tough nut to crack, but I think a slow transition into his relationship with Jane will make the end result all the more satisfying. Hope you all agree!  
**

Unwilling Heart: Chapter 1

Loki was tired. He felt utterly drained after being torn from one end of space to the other by the Tesseract's power. The hard, uncomfortable seat he was currently occupying in the back of a Midgardian vehicle wasn't helping his fatigued body at all. The road was harsh and the dust being kicked up by the tires was thick. Yet despite his current discomfort there was a satisfied smile on his face.

He had just arrived on Midgard and taken the Tesseract as he had long planned. This was to be the first of many victories. This was the first step towards claiming his birth right; becoming the king he was born to be. No longer would he be forced to skulk in shadows, he would be seated on a throne for all to see. _For all to fear_. He would be the king that Thor could never be, the king that Thor never deserved to be. Curse him.

Loki raised his hand slightly, casting a shielding spell to keep the dust that was billowing around him from reaching his nose. The mortals he had taken control of were seated silently within the vehicle that had aided his escape from the ill fated SHIELD facility. They had been moving through the dessert for at least an hour, which had given Loki time to think on his next move. The mortal, Barton, would see to it that Loki was provided with a base of operation while Doctor Selvig would look into harnessing the Tesseract's power.

Loki remembered Selvig clearly. He was a friend to Thor. Loki was loathe to have any association with a man who called Thor friend. When Selvig outlived his usefulness Loki would see to it that he was disposed of.

But there was one that needed to die before Selvig.

Jane Foster. Loki had thought of her often during his exile. And the more he though of her, the more he despised her. She had been responsible for the change in Thor, the change that had restored his worthiness in the eyes of Odin. For once Odin had seen Thor for what he truly was, selfish, arrogant, reckless... unworthy. For a brief moment Loki was finally the better son, until it all came crashing down. But still, Loki could have proven himself to Odin, despite his parentage... if Thor hadn't returned with a new found sense of maturity. Loki scowled at the memory of it.

It was all the fault of that woman. And Loki would not forget it. He would make her pay for it.

Loki's hand gripped the golden staff so tightly that he was starting to loose the feeling in his fingers. He was only vaguely aware that the blue orb at the end of the weapon was pulsating in response to his anger.

He would kill the woman slowly. Make her suffer. He had long fantasized about the look of terror in her eyes as he described to her exactly how she would meet her end. She would regret ever having met Thor when she learned that her painful, gruesome end was the direct result of her association with the God of Thunder. And Thor would know it too, he would waste away with the guilt of it. Loki wanted Thor to know exactly what had happened to his precious pet human.

All that mortal whelp had to do was bat her eyelashes in Thor's direction and she would rule by his side as Queen of Asgard. She would have the admiration that Asgard had never seen fit to bestow upon it's youngest prince. Only two on Asgard ever knew of Loki's true parentage, and yet the Aesir still only ever regarded Loki with mistrust. Silver tongue. That's what they had called him. He carried the name with pride, after a time. But it's initial use as an insult never went unnoticed by him.

Such disdain for him, and they would readily accept _her_ as a Queen. _Her_, a creature inferior to him in every way.

Frigga, the woman Loki once called mother, would love Jane Foster for bringing happiness to her one true son. And Odin would cherish her for one day carrying a grandchild and future heir to Asgard within her. Odin would love the child in her womb more than he had ever loved Loki himself...

Sparks were beginning to shoot from the end of the golden staff. Killing Jane Foster was a priority. After Loki took his time educating her in the ways of pain, he would leave her hanging to life by a thread and call out to Heimdall. He would instruct Heimdall to tell Thor that his beloved awaited a final kiss goodbye, before he ran her through with his scepter.

Loki had seen it a thousand times over in his mind. It was all so close now.

The dust around him began to lessen as the car slowed to a stop. Loki unfocused eyes came to settle upon his new surroundings. Barton had driven them to an underground bunker that would serve as a base while he rallied more mortals to his cause. But before he was ready to move ahead, there was a matter that needed looking into...

"Selvig," Loki called as he lowered himself from the back of the truck, "I suspect that you would be able to tell me the current whereabouts of Miss Jane Foster?"

Eric Selvig froze where he stood, his mouth opening slightly but no words coming out. Loki waited a long moment for a response. A slight twitch in Selvig's bewitched eye served as an indication that the man was facing an inner turmoil. This would not do at all.

"You will answer me without hesitation, Doctor..." the words came out as a growl that obviously has the desired affect as the doctor simply nodded his response.

Barton, who had obviously been listening chimed in at that moment. "Sir, knowing SHIELD, they will move immediately to relocate Jane Foster if they believe she is in danger. You'll need to move quickly if you want to get to her before they do."

Fatigued though Loki may have been from his travels, he was not about to miss his chance to finally come face to face with his target. "We should not leave Miss Foster waiting then."

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**Thank you so much for reading, please don't forget to review :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much to Rehaniah and my kind guest reviewer for the encouragement :) It truly made my day, as did the wonderful people who added Unwilling Heart to their favs and follow lists. :)**

**I can't wait to get to the heart of this story (no pun intended) :P Stick with me for a few more chapters and I think you'll be pleased with where things end up :)**

Unwilling Heart: Chapter 2

Jane walked into the kitchen when she heard the sound of the kettle boiling. It had been a long day and she wanted nothing more than to lay out on her couch with a soothing cup of tea.

She had been researching for just over a year now; searching the stars for a way to bring Thor back. Her lack of progress was frustrating to say the least. Each day she had to push herself to keep going, which wasn't easy considering she had almost nothing to show for her efforts. In addition, she no longer had the help of Eric. He had been called away on an assignment that he had promised to tell her about when he returned.

She had been upset by Eric's departure. She understood that he couldn't devote all his time to helping her with her pet projects... but this one was important. She knew that Thor had had an affect on him just as he had on her... Well, maybe it wasn't the same. But In the short time they had been privileged to spend with Thor, the God of Thunder had had a profound influence on them both. All be it in different ways.

Eric had been inspired to learn of what was out there, beyond the earth. The idea of a place where science and magic were one had opened the scientist's eyes to so many possibilities. Eric had often proclaimed that the world Thor introduced them to made him feel like a young man again. Seeing the world anew and seeing nothing but promise on the horizon had renewed the older man. It was a defining moment in his life.

Jane had been inspired by all the same things, of course. But needless to say the added element of her romantic relationship with Thor had made the experience simultaneously more joyful and more complicated than it had been for Eric. Everyday Jane tackled with the same question. Was she in love with Thor? Could it be love when they had only known each other for so short a time? It was possible, she had decided. After all, would she be searching with such devotion if she was motivated by anything other than love?

Jane had been in love before, at least she thought she had been. Jane could modestly admit, if pushed, that a fair share of men had expressed interest in her. She had given few of them much thought as she had always been too involved with her work. But one or two of them had gotten to her in the past. She had gotten to know them well, and at the time she was sure she had loved them. Yet her brief time with Thor had felt stronger than anything she had ever experienced with anyone else.

She wondered if he felt the same. If he still held aspirations of seeing her once again. She had to believe he did. It was the only thing that kept her going. She didn't want to face the possibility that she would at some point be forced to move on if she couldn't find Thor. The search gave her purpose and she didn't want to let that, or him, go.

The clock on the wall read half past twelve. Jane stirred a spoon of sugar into her tea and made her way into her small sitting room. It was so lonely without Eric around. Before he had left they used to sit together every night and excitedly discuss all manner of topics. Darcy had left shortly after Thor did, and although they still kept in contact, it was becoming less and less frequent. The lack of contact with her mentor and friend made her miss Thor even more.

Jane's thoughts were interrupted by a loud pounding at her door. Who on earth would be visiting at this hour? Her question was quickly answered when Eric's voice yelled from outside. "Jane! It's Eric! I need to talk to you!"

Jane excitedly leaped from the couch almost dropping her tea in the process. Carefully steadying the liquid in the cup, she placed it on the wooden table beside the couch and ran to the door.

The lock clicked audibly when she turned it. "Eric! What are you doing all the way out here? You should have called first, I would have..." She didn't get to finish her sentence when Eric startled her by urgently pushing the door the rest of the way open and quickly rushed though the entrance.

"Eric... what's going on?" He didn't answer, so she looked into his eyes only to see that they were the strangest shade of blue. Jane opened her mouth to comment but was sidetracked by the sound of slow, heavy footsteps outside of the door. Jane felt a chill travel up her spine and found her feet slowly backing away into the safety of her room.

A brief moment later a tall, dark haired man, stepped into view. His sharp features reminded her a bit of a vulture. Jane was immediately frozen by his cold, unyielding stare. He wore... was that armor? He was from Asgard. He had to be. Questions about Thor rose within her but were stopped before they could pass her lips. The cold stare and scepter he carried was enough to intimidate her into silence.

Jane tightened her house coat around her in a feeble defensive gesture and looked questioningly at Eric. His eyes were so vacant. The usual mirth and warmth within them were nowhere to be found. Her focus was forced back to the stranger when he loudly slammed the door behind him. Jane jumped at the sound and shrunk even further away from the two men.

"Jane. Foster." the stranger sounded as though he were trying her name on his lips for the first time.

Jane mustered up what courage she could. "Who... who are you?"

The stranger's smirk was unpleasant as he steadily closed the distance between them. "I am the savior of this chaotic realm. I am it's King, Loki, of Asgard."

Loki...

Loki. This was Thor's brother. This was the man who had cruelly lied about the death of Odin. Jane had seen the pain in Thor's eyes when he had believed that he was responsible for his own father's death. She had ached for him. And she continued to ache for him when it was revealed that this falsehood was crafted by none other than his younger brother. His brother who had gone as far as sending a metal monster to murder him.

Jane had read as many books as she could concerning the topic of Norse mythology after Thor's departure. She had eagerly taken in every word that was written about Thor. But she had also read about Loki. She knew he was known as the trickster. The god of mischief. But to tell such a lie to one's own blood... It was heartless. And Jane felt nothing but contempt for this man.

"Where is Thor?" She suddenly found that her defiance was overcoming her fear.

"Oh, I suspect he'll be along at some point. However I'm afraid by then you won't be alive to welcome him back. But fear not, he shall see you," his voice lowered to a growl, "even if you are in pieces."

So there it was. He intended to murder her. She was about to die, and she would never see Thor again. But she would make him proud. She would be brave like he was. This beast before her would not be able to truthfully tell Thor that she had cried, or begged or pleaded for her life. If this was her day to die she would do her best to hold her head high.

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**I had intended to get a bit farther in the plot than this, but I need to switch to Loki's point of view now, so this will continue in the next chapter. It'll be a good one, promise :) I hadn't initially planned to cover so much of Jane's thought's about Thor here, but her confusion about the nature of their relationship will be relevant.**

**And a big hug to any who are kind enough to review :) Knowing that people are reading justifies the time going into this :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to Rehaniah, my wonderful guest reviewer, hummingbirdXCIV, and hawkfriend for the very kind reviews. :) Also thanks to all who followed and watched, can't tell you how happy you all make me :) **

Unwilling Heart: Chapter 3

She was a frail looking creature. Tiny and pathetic. Loki couldn't fathom what it was that Thor had seen in her. What about this woman could have possibly changed Thor so drastically? For a single brief moment Loki almost wished he could keep her alive long enough to find out, but dismissed the thought as soon as it had entered his mind. He came here to punish this mortal, and so he would.

He could snap her in two with no effort. Even the humans at the SHIELD facility had attempted to put up a fight, no matter how fruitless their efforts were. But what could this one do? She was a prime example of how weak humanity was. The idea that she could have won the love of Asgard through her connection with Thor sickened him. The thought of Odin and Frigga regarding her with any amount of affection sent him into a rage so intense that he had to restrain himself from leaping forward and breaking her neck. Jane Foster would not have the mercy of a quick death.

Neither Jane nor Eric made any movements. Loki's slow and steady footsteps forward sounded deafeningly loud in the otherwise silent room. He fixed Jane with a glare so cold he was sure she would have turned to ice on the spot if she had been looking at him. As it was, she had her gaze fixed upon Eric Selvig. Her focus upon her mentor didn't falter even as Loki slowly, and surprisingly gently, placed an icy hand on the side of her neck and allowed his thumb to rest upon her collar bone. She was refusing to look at him. Most likely an attempt at hiding her terror from him. But her terror was exactly what he wanted. She would not rob him of it.

Without warning, Loki's arm had thrust forward so fast the movement could hardly be seen. The force of it threw Jane backwards upon the hard wall behind her, forcing a sharp gasp to escape her lips as she made impact. She would have fallen straight to the ground if his hand had not maintained it's place upon her neck. Her eyes were shut tightly. Loki's long fingers tightened around Jane's neck just enough to form bruises.

He leaned in close to her ear. "Where is your precious Thor now, hmm?" She squirmed slightly at this and shut her eyes even tighter. He squeezed her neck tighter in response and smirked at the small squeak that issued from her strained throat.

"You didn't really think he would spare you a second thought after he left, did you? Thor has his choice of the most beautiful maidens of Asgard. And believe me, he enjoys them frequently. What could he possibly want with you?"

"You should have stuck with your own pathetic kind. Know that your death comes because you saw fit to bestow your unworthy affections upon one who never cared for you in the first place."

Loki almost laughed when Jane once again gasped, thinking that his words were going to break her down to tears. She instead spat out hoarsely "If what you say is true, if I am nothing to Thor, then why go out of your way to kill me?" She struggled to raise herself as tall as she could despite his hand on her throat. "I've heard of your talent for lies. I'm not stupid enough to believe a single word that come out of your mouth." He felt her breath on his ear.

Loki leaned away from her warmth to stare at her. She still refused to look at him. Her eyes were half open now but still gazed past him to rest upon Eric Selvig. The doctor stood in his place staring at the exchange before him, seemingly emotionless.

"Look at me," Loki commanded her. He was furious when she made no move to obey. His blood rushed through his veins causing him to flush slightly. These mortal were made to be ruled by him. None of them had any right to disobey his wishes.

His eyes quite literally flashed red, and his hand momentarily turned blue as blistering cold seeped into Jane's delicate skin. He had to hold firmly when her body jerked violently. His lids slowly closed when she screamed, remaining closed to listen to the sound of her quick, frantic breaths afterwards. When his lids opened again his iris' had regained their usual green color.

"Look at me," he commanded again. When she still refused, he roughly thrust his hand under her chin and forced her face to look upon his. "Your defiance only makes this more satisfying," he spat.

He was finally granted a look into her eyes. Green eyes focused upon brown, searching her orbs expectantly. There was pain in her gaze, but not fear. Loki's head jerked back slightly and his brows furrowed in a quizzical manner. Where was her fear? Where was her terror?

He had seen himself in this position almost every night since his exile. His hand upon her throat, her body trembling with pain. But here he finally was, and her eyes were not watering. Her face was not wet with tears. She was not pleading for her insignificant life. And terror was nowhere to be found. He would not have his plan foiled by her show of bravery. Everyone had a breaking point. Perhaps she needed a very specific push before her control would shatter like broken glass.

Loki called back to Eric, keeping his sight on Jane to gauge her reaction. "Doctor Selvig, I wonder if you might be so good as to take over with Miss Foster here. She's hardly worth my efforts." Jane's eyes widened ever so slightly as they once again came to rest upon Eric. "He won't do it..." she breathed.

"Indeed?" he laughed, but there was no humor in his tone. "You believe yourself important enough to him to overcome my influence, do you?"

"He won't do it," She repeated with more force, bringing her eyes back to his to reinforce her point. "I don't know what you've done to him, but it seems you've only managed to overtake his, mind, not his heart."

He almost snorted at her, but couldn't help but realize that Eric Selvig had not yet approached as he was ordered. Loki turned his head back to see Selvig still occupying his corner of the room. His eyes were twitching frantically, his right foot raising and lowering on the spot but not moving forward.

Damn it. She was right. Despite his earlier quip at Agent Barton about 'having heart,' the scepter didn't truly affect the heart, only the mind. And he could not have complete control over his subjects unless he held dominion over both. It would explain why Selvig had shown resistance on multiple occasions. It would certainly explain why Barton had infuriatingly failed to kill Director Fury.

That's when Loki was stuck with sudden inspiration. Even if his scepter could not affect the heart there were spells that could. Since Miss Foster had been observant enough to point out the short comings of his prized weapon, perhaps it would be appropriate for her to offer her heart to test his spells on.

Loki had been hiding his actions from Heimdall until he was ready for his deeds to be revealed. But so weakened was he upon his arrival to this realm that his shield had slipped when he came through the portal. He was sure that Heimdall had caught sight of him in that time and that Thor would no doubt be making an appearance.

How deliciously painful would it be for the God of Thunder to arrive to find that his beloved Jane no longer cared for him, but for Loki instead? Loki liked this. It would toy with more than just Thor's emotions, but with his insufferable pride and overinflated ego. He could always kill Jane afterwards, but why rush it when he was offered the opportunity to taint Thor's very soul with his brand of mischief.

His smile must have been frightening to Jane, because though her eyes still maintained their strength, she pressed herself closer to the surface of the wall. This only pleased him more as he released his hold on her neck and took a step backwards. She eyed him warily.

Loki was sure that if he waited long enough Selvig would eventually succumb to the scepter's influence. An unacceptable delayed reaction. But Loki moved to act before Eric could decided to. The point of the alien weapon came to rest on Jane's chest, her body going rigid when dark magic poured into her. It traveled up her bruised neck and into her brain. Her soft, brown eyes turned obsidian black and then finally the same pale blue as Eric's.

"I'll settle for your mind, for the moment."

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**Aw man, I'd better head to sleep, it's past 2 am and I have work in the morning. But really wanted to get this up. **

**I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. We finally see the direction Loki's plan is going to take! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you to hummingbirdXCIV for the lovely review :) And as always thanks to all who followed and watched. I'd love to hear what everyone thinks now that things are moving along!**

Unwilling Heart: Chapter 4

Jane Foster's shoulder's were slumped forward, her long brown locks falling forward upon her flushed face. Slender arms hung loosely at her sides, the robe that she wore had opened somewhat to reveal a violet nightgown underneath. The only indication that she was in any pain was the trembling of her lower lip. She did not complain. She was compliant, ready to follow Loki back to his underground base upon his command. He moved the golden scepter from his left hand to his right, nodding his head towards the door.

The sudden ringing that filled the room prompted him to raise his hand to halt the two mortal's movement towards the exit. He believed the noise was that of a human communication device, a telephone, he recalled. It rung a moment longer before a male voice took the place of the ringing.

"Miss Foster, this is Agent Coulson of SHEILD," Jane, who now stood at Eric Selvig's side, remained impassive. "We have reason to believe that you might be in danger. We'll be at your location soon, I'll explain everything then. For now, keep your door locked and answer it for no one except myself. This includes Eric Selvig, should he arrive."

Loki grinned unpleasantly. Too little too late, Agent Coulson of SHEILD.

He was about to gesture once again for his slaves to proceed back to base, but suddenly thought better of it. Perhaps it would be best if SHEILD was left unaware for the time being of his influence upon Miss Foster. He wouldn't want to spoil the surprise before Thor's inevitable arrival. And he'd need a bit of time to, quite literally, work his magic on her before he faced resistance from his enemies.

His eyes quickly scanned the small room. It was neatly kept. Not much in terms of possessions. A few chairs and rather plain side tables. Rather unappealing pieces of furniture when compare to the luxury that he had been used to in the palace of Asgard. He was sure even the palace servants possessed items with more visual appeal than what these mortals surrounded themselves with.

He searched a wooden tabletop that stood against the wall close to the front door, noticing the pictures placed upon it for the first time. There were two, placed in dark brown wooden framed. He immediately recognized the two people in the first one to be both Dr. Selvig and Miss Foster. They stood side by side with smiles plastered upon their faces, Selvig's hand resting on Jane's shoulder. The second contained three people he did not know, a smiling man, woman and child. He guessed from the large brown eyes and brown hair of the child that it must have been Jane Foster. Between the pictures Loki found what he was looking for.

His hand reached out and spread out a pile of coins that rested on the hard surface. These items would be small and inconspicuous enough to suit his purposes. Loki picked out two similar looking silver coins and placed them in his palm, closing his fist and muttering an incantation beneath his breath.

"Miss Foster," he called, and she obediently paced to his side. "Take this," he ordered and placed one of the coins in her warm palm when she opened it. He kept the other for himself.

Her curious look as she touched the coin prompted him to explain. "SHIELD will come for you and you are to go with them. Tell them nothing of our encounter. When you arrive at whatever location they take you to, you will blow upon that coin and call my name. It will inform me of your whereabouts."

Pale blue eyes met green and she nodded. Those eyes, he acknowledged, would be a dead giveaway that he had paid dear Jane a visit, wouldn't they? Not to mention the ugly, purple discoloration that had quickly formed on her neck.

Loki placed his hand on the area of her neck that he had assaulted just moments earlier, he wasn't surprised when she flinched in pain at the contact. He closed his eyes, willing his magic to flow into his hand and concentrated upon the wound. His hand became warm and a soft blue glow formed in the spot where he touched her. His eyes opened and with satisfaction found that his efforts had removed all evidence of her injury.

Next, he had to conceal the evidence of dark magic now contained in her unfocused orbs. Holding his scepter underneath his arm to free his hands, he placed his left palm against the back of Jane's head, her silken brown strands falling against his fingers. His right palm came to rest with some pressure against her right eye socket. He once again concentrated his magic, this time willing an illusion to mask the color of her eye back to it's original soft brown. He glanced over to the picture of her on the table for reference of the original shade while he worked. Her left eye half closed as his magic worked it's way behind her right eye lid.

He removed his hand from her face and tilted her head up so he could inspect his progress. The shade was perhaps a touch darker than the original tone, but he doubted that anyone but Thor would pick up on that fact. Fortunately, Thor would not be and issue just yet. He placed his palm upon her other eye, repeating the same process and once again inspected his work to be sure it would pass any potential scrutiny.

Satisfied that SHIELD would not suspect his presence in this place, he once again signaled Selvig to the door. Jane watched them leave before sitting on the couch to await Agent Coulson's arrival.

...

Barton had already managed to begin setting up the temporary base, and most importantly the lab. The mortal had proven quite useful. There were a few men that Loki had not seen before navigating their way around the base. Barton had assured Loki that these men were enemies of SHIELD and more than willing to aid in any efforts to move against the organization. The archer went on to explain that more men and supplies would be arriving in due time.

Loki made his way through the dank caverns of his temporary hideaway in search of a room that Barton said awaited him. He found it not too far away from the main chamber. It was quite small, and just as dreary and cold as the rest of the dreadful cavern that he currently inhabited. In a far corner of the room was a small cot and a human device resting upon a metal crate. Loki recognized the device as a television. Baton had suggested that it might be wise for him to have access to one in order to keep informed of events on earth that could impact his plans.

All of that could wait for the time being. He still had not rested from his journey to Midgard. Though Loki could go on for days without sleep or food, he decided that now would be a good time to replenish his strength. The mortals posed little threat to him, but Loki would need to be at his best when Thor arrived to challenge him.

His magic felt somewhat drained as well. He predicted it would only be a short time until Jane Foster reached out with the magical charm he had given her. His magic would need to be in good form in order to perform the spell that would affect her heart. It was a fairly simple spell, but from what he understood of it required a fair bit of concentration. It wasn't something that he had performed before, but was sure that he remembered enough of what he had read in books to perform it without any issues. If the spell went wrong it could severely injure her. Though that was of no real consequence to him, he very much looked forward to using the little whelp against Thor. So he would have to exercise some amount of caution when manipulating her.

Loki's long stride covered the distance of the room in only a few steps. Propping his weapon against the wall within reach, he laid upon the cot. The charmed coin was in his closed hand in case it should be activated.

Loki allowed sleep to take him. He dreamed, not for the first time, of a golden throne and a sea of kneeling people stretching further back than his eyes could see. Before his booted feet laid a bleeding Thor, who Loki realized had the blue skin and red eyes of a Frost Giant.

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**Thanks for reading! Sorry this chapter wasn't longer, but this felt like a good spot to leave it. **

**Loki has a soft spot for mortals who review, he said it in a delete Avengers scene :P :P**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much to Rehaniah for the encouragement and to any who faved or watched. :) I hope everyone who reads is enjoying :)**

Unwilling Heart: Chapter 5

Loki was not sure what time of day it was when he awoke. Being underground made it rather difficult to gauge how high in the sky the sun was, or wasn't. The secluded location that Agent Barton had chosen to conceal their work with the tesseract would keep them well hidden. Loki, however, was eager to make his next play, if only to escape this dismal cavern. He had been know on Asgard as an inhabitant of shadows, but that was a choice on his part. He had chosen the shadows then to distance himself from the brutishness that defined the Asgardian warriors he was forced to call friends... and the one he was forced to call brother. But this desolation and dreariness he had endured since his exile was no way for a king to exist. Loki was nothing if not patient, as any true schemer must be, but he would suffer these accommodation for only so long.

Loki continued to lay upon the small cot for a few moments longer before the charmed coin he held began to hum and pulsate against the skin of his palm. He had forgotten that he was holding it and so it's coming to life had startled him somewhat, though he outwardly showed no reaction. He opened the fist that concealed the small charm with a satisfied smirk. Miss Foster was calling to him.

He knew that toying with the girl should be a secondary matter when held against the importance of his conquest of Midgard. But Loki was in his element when manipulating others. He had been alone so long, alone with only his own dark thoughts for company. He wondered if he had at some point taken to toying with and twisting his own mind in the absence of other beings. Would he even realize it if he had?

He brushed the thought away almost as soon as it had been formed. There was a new little mouse to play with. He was looking forward to the inner turmoil he was about to cause her.

...

Loki had been sleeping quite a long time, it turned out. When Jane contacted him, the coin projected an image in his mind of her whereabouts. He slept long enough that Jane had been taken to a location that Barton said was situated in Norway.

"It will take time to travel to and from such a remote location, aren't there more important matters to attend to?" the stoic archer had objected. "SHIELD is not likely to relocate Jane Foster in a hurry when they believe her to be safe, she can be collected at any time."

Loki had told him in no uncertain terms to remain silent and refrain from challenging his decisions. And so Barton had requested to stay behind and continue with efforts to recruit and equip for their operation, to which Loki agreed.

Loki wasn't sure how many hours ago that was, he was having some difficulty keeping track of Midgardian time. It was made more difficult by the time zone change when he arrived in Norway. The sun was setting as the aircraft he inhabited lowered to the ground. One of Barton's contacts had supplied the vehicle for their use. Loki didn't know or care who the mortal pilot was.

The back of the aircraft steadily lowered for Loki's exit. The winds here were frigid and intermingled with snow, which of course did not bother him in the least. The pilot had landed a little distance away from the structure where Jane was being kept. This particular area was so remote that any approaching craft would no doubt draw immediate suspicion from any guards stationed in the area. Loki had nothing to fear from the guards, he could wipe them out with no effort. But if he wanted to get to Jane without Fury being notified, he would need to exercise caution.

Loki's booted feet took him through the untouched snow, towards a forested area. The sun was almost gone now, and with no stars in the sky he relied on the illumination of the staff to light his way. The charmed coin remained in his left hand, growing warmer the closer it got to it's brother.

It took Loki about 45 minutes to arrive at his destination. The snow and wind had picked up. Good, it would work to conceal his arrival from any SHIELD operatives. Walking in a crouched position he peered behind a thick tree, spying a small brick structure beyond the forest's edge. As he suspected, two armed men guarded the entrance. They stood still as statues, dressed in heavy coats with faces wrapped in thick scarves and hoods. He willed the golden staff to dim so not to draw any unwanted attention.

Loki reasoned that the best way to deal with the guards would be to take them by surprise before they could broadcast a warning to Fury. He effortlessly duplicated himself twice, situating his copies directly in front of the guards. Before they could raise their gloved hands to react to his presence the duplicate staffs were raised to their chests, their eyes turning ice blue as Barton's had not long ago. Each man lowered their weapons and the duplicates vanished. Loki walked calmly from his place in the forest to the brick structure, striding past the now obedient figures and into the building.

The wind blew the heavy door shut behind him with a loud bang that assaulted his sensitive hearing as it echoed through the structure. His first step into the structure had placed him on a narrow metal platform that led to a staircase leading underground. A single dim light hung above and a small viewing screen was mounted onto the wall to his left. He recognized the figure on the screen to be Jane Foster. She sat on a chair in a bright carpeted room, a grey winter coat and tall boots still on her small frame.

Loki descended into the underground structure down a narrow, dimly lit corridor that led to her room. She looked up at him when he opened the door and he held a hand up to stop her when she began to rise. She didn't flinch when he raised the staff at her. She actually seemed transfix by the blue energy that cast it's light upon her features. After a moment her shoulders began to slump as though a weight was placed upon them.

At that point he lowered the staff and commanded, "Come, Jane." She seemed to struggle a bit to lift herself from the chair, but when she did there was a duplicate Jane still seated in the spot she just occupied. The figure was somewhat transparent but grew more solid by the minute.

Jane's eyes widened at the copy of herself staring blankly ahead. She reminded Loki of a cat investigating a potential threat when she cautiously thrust her hand at the clone's head. Her digits passed through as though there was nothing there. She tried it a few more times and he watched her hand pass through slower each time as the figure continued to solidify. The transparency was almost gone and he found himself amused by the possibility of her punching the copy in the face if she continued with her aggressive exploration.

He shrugged at her when she turned to look at him expectantly. "Simple magic. I've used it on myself more times than I can count, a rather usefully little spell. Admittedly, this is the first time I've tried it on another person." He tilted his head, scrutinizing the seated figure, "I don't think I quite matched your hair color, but it matters not."

He was not expecting her to answer, but she simply said,"It's quite impressive."

He shrugged again. "Come, we have a long journey ahead of us." She picked up a duffel bag that lay beside the chair and made her way towards him. Loki removed a small electronic device from underneath his gauntlet and pressed the red button that protruded from it's surface. Barton had instructed him that doing so would signal to the pilot that he was ready to depart. Tucking the device back in it's place, he made his way through the hall back up the stairs. He heard Jane's light footsteps following behind him and halt when he stopped in front of the screen on the wall. His illusion of Jane Foster was displayed on it's surface. It would be enough to fool anyone at first glance, but if anyone were to attempt a conversation with the imposter Jane the farce would not hold up.

He only needed this illusion to work for a short time while he proceeded with his plan for Miss Foster. In truth, it would not matter if SHIELD tried to stop him, they would not succeed. But he was not yet ready for Thor to discover that he had captured the girl. Loki's shield was still keeping his actions from Heimdall, so all of this would go unnoticed for the moment.

They waited silently for a while until the sound of the plane's landing reached their ears. Upon leaving the structure, Loki informed the enslaved guards not to allow anyone entrance to the building. "If anyone takes one foot down those steps you are to kill them, and do what you must to keep anyone from discovering what has happened here tonight." He was about to walk away, but stopped and threw in mischievously, "If you fail me, you may lay in the snow without those coats and see how long your fragile bodies resist hypothermia."

"Yes sir," each of the guards replied. They would take his command quite literally if it came to it.

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**So now that Jane is Loki's captive there will be plenty of Loki/Jane goodness to come :)  
**

**Please review :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you to Rehaniah for the review and to any who faved or watched. :)**

Unwilling Heart: Chapter 6

The journey back to base was a long one. Jane had sat mostly silent the entire trip, her eyes staring as though hypnotized by the clouds passing them by. For his part, Loki had been rather silent as well, his mind busy, as always, plotting his next move.

Sitting a few feet in front of Jane, he had spared her occasional curious glances. He had been trying to wrap his head around this creature and her connection with Thor since they first met. He knew nothing about her, really. It always helped to know a bit about one's subject of manipulation to effectively pull their strings. Green eyes narrowed at her.

"Tell me Miss Foster," brown eyes shifted in his direction, "what was it that you did to capture Thor's attentions so thoroughly?"

Her brows raised a bit but she did not speak, so he continued, "Thor is not unaccustomed to women throwing themselves at him. He is the golden prince of Asgard, after all." He said the last bit in a low growl. "But I wouldn't say that any of them ever had any lasting affect upon him. How is it that a short lived little mortal managed to sway him so?"

He supposed that if he didn't have her bewitched by the Tesseract's power she might have been pleased by his admission that she did indeed mean something to Thor. As it was, she spoke very matter of factly. "I don't know exactly." She was silent a while longer while she considered his question. "Perhaps it was the fact that I didn't throw myself at him as you say others have?"

"Perhaps... but surely you have more of an answer for me than that." He leaned back lazily in his seat, tilting his head at her. "Come now, I admit myself curious. And I order you to be open in your responses."

Such details would normally be much to ask of a complete stranger, but she obeyed. Her head nodded and Loki was pleased. "I've wondered myself," she started, "what affect I truly did have on him. He said he would come back to me, but it's been so long. There's been no communication, no contact on his part. Perhaps he's moved on." she said the last part in a rather robotic tone. Loki did not reveal to her that Thor's lack of contact was a result of the bifrost's destruction, why should he?

"But to answer your question," her soft voice continued, "I can attest that physical attraction played a part on my end, and I hope on his end as well..." Despite her mechanical responses, he noticed she had blushed a bit at that. "I also suspect it could have been because I was genuine with him." Not seeing her point, he tilted his head at her once again, urging her on.

"Well, he's a prince, isn't he? I wonder how many of the women he's been involved with have shown him genuine affection, and how many were interested in him only for his status? I thought he was crazy when I met him, and I certainly didn't know he was a prince. But I was interested in him anyways. I wanted nothing _from_ him. I simply wanted him. Just him."

"How touching," Loki sneered mockingly. Loki himself had only really been with women who showed interest because they thought him to be the son of Odin. But of course Thor had received even more attention for being Asgard's champion, it's future king. Loki had often been bitter and harsh with the women who courted him, certain that they sought his attention only as a consolation to Thor's lack of interest.

Jane, however, was right. Her sincerity must have meant a great deal to the God of Thunder.

Loki was... jealous? Yes, that was indeed the familiar tug of jealously pulling within him. Everything about Loki's life had been a fabrication, any love he had ever received had been nothing more than a lie. Even his real Jothun parents had seen fit to neglect him from the time of his birth. And Odin had seen him as nothing more than a tool when he stole him from an icy cradle.

But Thor? Of course Thor always had the deepest love of Odin, Frigga, and the Asgardian populace as a whole. Even before he had met this little human, he already had the love of the Lady Sif, he was just to blind and mindless to recognize it. But in addition he now possessed sincere and honest affection from this creature. She was nothing but a frail, fragile, insignificant little being, and yet what little she was she had given wholeheartedly to Thor. No tricks, no deceptions, and no secret aspirations of leeching off of the status of an Asgardian Prince.

It burned at Loki's already scorched heart. It made made him all the more eager to see to it that Thor lost this one.

Jane removed her heavy winter coat, carefully folding it and placing it atop the bag she had brought in with her. The temperature was beginning to rise as their destination grew closer, they would arrive soon.

"May I ask where we're going?" Jane's query removed him from his thoughts.

"You may not..." He paused. "The less you know the better, Miss Foster. In fact, you look rather tired, I think it's time you took a nap." She looked confused at his words as he rose from his seat and strode over to her. He placed a hand on top of her head, and felt her strength flowing up his arm. "Sleep..." He watched her lids close over her eyes and she slumped into the leather seat. He would likely need to withdraw the Tesseact's power from her when he performed his spell upon her heart. At that point her mind would no longer be enslaved. It would be best if she did not see the location of his base when they arrived.

...

They landed upon the sandy ground with a rather loud thump. Loki rose from the seat the instant they landed, eager to remove himself from the aircraft after so many hours. He strode over to the still sleeping Jane Foster and waved his hand to unfasten the straps that held her to her seat. She shifted slightly as they came undone but did not awaken.

Loki willed the golden staff to reduce to about half it's size so it would be less to carry it in addition to Miss Foster. He slid one arm behind her back, which still leaned against the leather seat. The other arm still held the staff but he managed to hook his arm underneath her knees and effortlessly lifted her from the seat. Her head slumped against his armored shoulder as he walked from the plane and past the four men guarding the entrance of the base.

He ignored the heads that turned in his direction, making his way towards the make shift room that Barton had set up for him. As he past the main chamber, busy with men working on various pieces of equipment, Dr. Selvig caught sight of him. The man hurriedly left his work station to call out. "Jane? Is she..."

"She's quite alive Doctor..." Selvig, took fast paces to reach Loki and walked along side him, his eyes on Jane. "What will you do with her?"

The man was severely testing Loki's patience. His heart was far too attached where this girl was concerned. There were constant lapses with the control upon the scientist's mind whenever Jane was involved. "You would do best, doctor, to concentrate only on that which you are tasked. Do not burden yourself with issues which do not concern you."

When the man did not stop following him he halted and turned with Jane still in his arms. His eyes flashed dangerously and he snapped, "The Tesseract requires your attention, Selvig." The man looked hesitant, but nodded, turned and paced back towards his workstation. Loki stared after him for a few moments. That insect would have been killed upon first sight if he wasn't so useful.

Loki continued down the dark halls of the base and nudged the door to his temporary quarters open. Walking directly to the small cot he had slept on the night before, he laid Jane upon it. The golden staff was rested against the wall as he kneeled down at the bed side. He took a deep breath to and closed his eyes, willing his magic to rise from somewhere deep within his chest.

It was finally time to get to work on Miss Foster.

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**This story is almost at 1000 views, so I'm assuming with much hope that people are reading? Fingers crossed ;) Knowing that folks are interested would really help to keep this going though ;)**


	7. Chapter 7

**IMPORTANT NOTE: I'll be moving this story over to the Thor category as of next chapter so that Jane can be listed as a main character as well. So anyone looking out for chapters after this, please look under Thor as it will no longer be listed under Avengers. Thanks! :)**

**Thanks to StBridgit and Oo Spider Clemti oO for the wonderful reviews, and to those who watched. And a special thank you to the ever lovely Rehaniah for her advice and support.**

Unwilling Heart: Chapter 7

Jane's slow, steady breaths were the only sound that reached Loki's keen ears. He knelt at her bedside with his head bowed, eyes closed, and concentration upon his magic. The love spell he was about to perform upon Miss Foster's heart would require him to reach deep within himself to obtain the most potent magic he could put forth. He suspected she would be difficult to manipulate because of her heart's existing connection to Thor. Loki was up for the challenge. Stamping out his former brother's influence upon this girl would be nothing short of exhilarating.

He had stumbled upon books concerning love spells on more than one occasion. Though he had never had reason to put such a spell into practice, the history and mechanics behind this brand of magic fascinated him. The study of darker magic had always been a topic of extreme academic interest to Loki, but was something that he had been forced to practice in private. Even a prince of Asgard would have faced punishment for toying with magic that affected elements which were not meant to be tampered with.

Love spells were, in nature, a violation upon the targeted victim. They were an imposition upon the most intimate and delicate of emotions that affected not only free will, but the course of the victim's destiny. Loki had read in his studies that in times long past, love spells were not so uncommon. In fact, it would not be unreasonable to presume that at least one third of Asgard could trace lineages back to couples who had come together as the result of a love spell.

But the spell had been outlawed thousands of years ago, long before the time of Odin. Apart from the imposition on free will and natural destiny, problems resulted when the caster either died or simply lost interest in their victim. Madness and often suicides were a rather typical end result of tampering with an unknowing heart. A magic influenced heart, while happy and satiated when it's object of interest was reciprocal, would become obsessive and unstable when it no longer received the attentions it desired.

Unfortunately, loss of interest on the part of the spell caster was a common occurrence. Loki supposed that one who was willing to cast such a spell in the first place was interested more in possession than love. Anyone willing to impose them self upon another for such selfish purposes was likely to be the sort who would quickly loose interest once they acquired what they sought. This abandonment was nothing short of devastating to one bound by the chains of a love spell.

Under natural circumstances, a dejected lover could eventually move on, even find happiness with another. But a heart poisoned by this manipulative form of magic could do nothing but fester in the absence of the spell caster. The very blood pumped to the body by the wounded organ quite literally became toxic.

It really was a rather cruel, drawn out fate, Loki mused. And it would suit his purposes perfectly. He idly wondered if any before him had sought to use a love spell as a weapon. Loki was interested in neither love nor possession, particularly not of this unworthy human. His lack of interest in her would surely drive her to immediate madness. It was no less than she deserved.

When the spell was complete her heart would ache for his attention, and he had no intentions easing her pain. But then perhaps he should? What better way to toy with her than to let her think she had some hope of winning him over. An occasional show of tenderness on his part to feed into her passion followed by a display of cruelty to turn that passion into anguish. Loki knew the pain of such inconsistent displays of affection first hand. Odin had often professed to love him, had often shown pride in his abilities, only to brush him aside with agonizing indifference whenever Thor's golden head came into view. Loki knew what it was to be raised to the height of mountains, only to be pushed from those mountains.

Loki allowed his breathing to match Jane's slow breaths. His hand raised and came to rest palm down on her left side, below her collar bone. He felt her rhythmic heart beat under his hand and the rise and fall of her chest matching his own breathing. His mind slipped into a meditative state for a long while, he didn't focus upon how long. His attention was taken only by the feel of her heart beat and their combined breathing.

His own chest began to feel warm, growing warmer with each beat of her heart as his magic swelled within him. When the warmth grew to the point of burning, he knew he was ready. His palm pressed down more firmly upon Jane's skin as his magic flowed from his chest, down his arm and into his hand. Transferring his magic into her chest was a slow process. Her heart would only accept a small bit at a time. He had to take care not to impose too much at once, least the shock of it kill her on the spot. It was a delicate balance.

She took a sharp intake of breath and his eyes opened when she called upon Thor in her sleep. Her jaw was tightly clenched and there were beads of sweat upon her brow. Her body tensed and he felt some of his magic being rejected and pushed back into his own arm. As he suspected, her heart, currently loyal to Thor, was trying to fight his influence.

He raised his other hand to the top of her head and gently stroked her hair while muttering a spell of calming. Her lips parted once again to call Thor's name but seemed able to make only incoherent noises. "Shhhhhh," he soothed while continuing to stroke her hair. When her body began to release it's tension he was once again able to redirect the magic that had been rejected back at her prone form.

Her breathing was once again steady as the last of the energy collected in his chest flowed into her's. He removed his hand from her and placed it upon the bed's edge to steady himself. He was drained.

Loki stared at Jane for a moment before he spoke an incantation that would activate the spell. Her body jerked slightly and he was successful. All that remained was for her to see him upon awakening so her heart could make the final connection. Then she would no longer be Thor's. Loki smiled wickedly at his work. This would all be well worth the effort when Thor realized that his beloved no longer had any interest in him.

As it currently stood, Loki had dominion over the girl's mind, and her heart. For the moment she would be completely obedient to him and he was sorely tempted to let it remain that way. With control over both heart and mind she would hesitate at none of his commands. He could order her to march straight up to Thor and slit her own throat in front of him and she would do it without batting an eyelash. Perhaps he would end this little game in that way, but not just yet.

He reluctantly reached for the golden staff and touched the tip to her heart, willing the Tesseract's energy controlling her mind to withdraw. The conflict between heart and mind was part of what made the love spell so devastating. She needed to go through the process of knowing that she should not love Loki, and yet feeling it regardless. Her mind needed to remember what it was that she so loved about Thor, but be dismayed to realize that her emotions were no longer swayed by the blonde warrior. That delicious conflict would not exist if her mind was not her own. And so it was necessary to free her of the scepter's power..

Loki slowly raised from his knees and shakily relocated himself to the wall beside the bed. He sat with his long legs crossed, hands resting upon his knees, and closed his eyes. The spell had exhausted him.

Without opening his eyes he waived a hand at the door to ensure that it was locked. It would not do to have someone walk in when Miss Foster awoke. If she saw anyone else before him upon awaking it would negate all of his hard work. Satisfied that no one would interrupt them, he allowed his body to relax and drift into a dreamless sleep.

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**This was a really tough chapter to write, but an important one... I'm not entirely happy with it, but hope it sets things up well enough. Delving into the explanation of the love spell was rather essential to the story, so I hope it wasn't too dull to read about. Finger crossed that I was able to communicate why Loki thought this to be a form of revenge more suitable than what he had planned for poor Jane at the story's start.**

**Until the next chapter folks. :) And please don't forget to look for it listed under the Thor movie instead of Avengers.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks to Rehaniah for her helpful feedback and to any who watched. :)**

**I have a nice, long, Loki/Jane filled chapter for you all this time around. Hope you enjoy :)**

Unwilling Heart: Chapter 8

Consciousness was slowly coming back to Jane. Distant thoughts in the back of her mind told her that she was not yet ready to open her eyes. She was not yet ready to face whatever predicament she had found herself in. Jane was hardly aware of her surroundings, but she was acutely aware of the heavy feeling in her chest and the dull ache in her temples. Yet despite her current discomfort and sense of foreboding, she felt...free. Before she had gone to sleep hadn't her mind felt clouded, almost like it wasn't...

Her eyes shot open. Her mind, it hadn't been her own. She knew that. But who had taken it? What had been done to her? She mused the thought for only a split second before her eyes registered what was before them. A ceiling made of concrete with only a single dim light somewhere overhead. The unfamiliarity of it scared her. Absolutely terrified her. She couldn't bring herself to lower her eyes down to the room itself. Instead, she squeezed them shut, throwing her palms over her face, blocking out the world.

Oh god, where was she? Wherever this was, she wasn't supposed to be here. How did she get here? What was going on? Her breathing was beginning to match the frantic pace of her thoughts and she felt nauseous.

"Calm down Jane, clam down," she whispered to herself. "Just breathe. Breathe slowly. Steady breaths." She concentrated only on taking air in through her nose and steadily out through her mouth, ignoring her other thoughts for the moment. After what felt like hours but had only been minutes, her nausea began to subside and then pass completely. She allowed her mind to begin working rationally again.

Her free will had been taken from her... by Loki. She remembered it. She had been terrified but determined to be brave when he had come to kill her. And then she remembered a thoughtful look on his features before her mind had turned hazy. And all she desired after that was to do as she was told. Her own opinions, goals, and dreams suddenly meant nothing. Her only focus was to follow Loki's orders. Coulson had come to collect her, seeming relieved that she was unharmed. And her only though then had been that the man was a fool for thinking that Loki would not find her. The Agent had taken her away to someplace cold, and she had been eager to blow upon the charmed coin that the Demigod had given her and to call out his name. The coin had called to him, as he promised. And he came for her...

And now she was here. Wherever here was. But her mind felt like her own again. Had Loki's influence simply worn off? She needed to figure out where she was and find Coulson, he would help her. And he would help Eric, hadn't his mind been taken as well?

With somewhat of a plan formulated she felt ready to open her eyes again and tackle what was ahead of her. The ceiling was the first thing to enter her vision, followed by an old, worn brick wall. She pushed her hands on the bed beneath her to raise herself up and noticed a door across the other side of the room. And to her left side...

Jane's hands flew to her mouth to muffle the scream that threatened to escape. How could she not notice that Loki had been seated against the wall mere inches away from her? She braced herself to be attacked before realizing that he was actually asleep. Jane was afraid to move for fear of waking him. Her legs were now tucked beneath her, hands on mouth and muscles frozen still by fear as she stared at him.

He sat cross legged with his hands on his knees. The face that had seemed harsh and cold before was suddenly relaxed. She could see the steady rise and fall of his chest underneath his elegant armor. She unwittingly remained focused on that movement for sometime, finding that the rhythm of it was actually calming her somewhat. Her hands slowly lowered from her mouth to rest upon her lap as she took in his still form. She was immediately taken by the leather suit, thinking that not even Thor's Asgardian garb had been so regal and lovely. The deep green and rich gold was gorgeous. And as her eyes raised to take in his face she idly thought that she could not imagine this man in any other colors. The majestic hues took him so perfectly that the though of any other shades draping his lean body seemed a travesty.

Mesmerized by his sleeping profile, she once again felt the weight in her chest that she had felt upon waking. Her breathing was again becoming short, her chest tight and her heart pounded furiously. Her eyes traced over his strong jaw line, moving up to his thin pink lips and aristocratic nose.

Her tense, alert muscles began to relax, though the tightness in her chest remained. The lids of her previously wide, fearful eyes half closed as she observed his raven black hair. Even in the dim light and dismal surroundings his pale skin seemed to almost glow. Jane exhaled the breath she had not realized she was holding.

Beautiful.

He was absolutely beautiful.

He was close enough that she could reach out and touch him. Her hand raised from her lap of its own volition, intent on brushing her delicate fingers against the definition of his cheekbone.

She blinked before making contact, as though awakening from a trans and halted her movements. 'No. Look where you are Jane,' she mentally scolded herself. 'This man kidnapped you and brought you to this place. He's dangerous, you have to get out before he wakes up.'

Jane shook her head in an attempt to rid herself of the insane thoughts she was just having about her captor. She slowly shifted her weight, unfolding her legs from beneath her to place them on the concrete floor. As she pressed her weight on the hard ground to raise herself from the bed, it creaked and she cringed at the sound. Her brown eyes darted in his direction to ensure that he had not awoken. Thankfully, his breathing remained steady and his head was still tilted slightly forward, eyes closed. Satisfied that he was still asleep she raised herself the rest of the way off the bed and silently tiptoed towards the exit.

Standing before the door to her freedom she gingerly reached a sweaty palm out to grasp the cold door handle. Before she could turn it she suddenly felt a hard grip upon her opposite upper arm and was pulled roughly from the door. She inwardly cursed, wondering how he had gotten to her so quickly as he swung her around to face him. She had been so close to freedom, when did he wake up?

He towered above her intimidatingly, with an amused expression on his face. "Going somewhere, are we Miss Foster?"

"I..." she opened her mouth, but realized there was nothing she could say to distract from the fact that she had tried to escape. She was fearful of the form his anger would take at her attempt to slip past him.

He only frowned slightly. "Oh do stop gaping at me like a fish. It's not very becoming." The frown then turned itself into a rather charming smile and his countenance brightened somewhat.

"My dear, where do you think you can go? Do you think I would have gone to all the trouble of acquiring you only so you could stroll out the front door at your convenience? You think I would not take precautions to prevent such an occurrence?"

She was furious at herself for the breathlessness that overcame her at the sound of his smooth voice. He was gleefully taunting her lack of control over her current circumstances, and she was beyond confused with her attraction to him. Where on earth did this sudden captivation come from?

She did her best to brush off the feeling, she could figure out why she had gone temporarily insane later. "Where are we?" She tried to sound as strong as she could, though the proximity to him was making it rather difficult.

His smile widened, and he laughed lightly. She had to force her eyes from fluttering shut to take in the sound of his laughter. It sounded like soft rain to her ears, and she once again found the word 'beautiful' springing to the forefront of her mind.

She didn't think she'd ever hated herself more. 'Have you forgotten Thor so easily? No less for the very man who betrayed and tried to murder him?'

"Where are we?" He repeated her query. "Surely you don't expect me to reveal that bit of information to you."

"Why am I here then?" She countered.

"Ah, that does seem to be the most pressing question doesn't it? Why do you think you're here?"

She though for a moment. Was this a trick? She had read in mythological books that he was known for his tricks. She proceeded cautiously. "Well, the most obvious answer would be that you want to use me as bait against Thor. You did mention before that he would be arriving on Earth."

"So I did," he replied. "Yes, I'd say that's a reasonable answer, all be it an incomplete one. For now let us just say that I wish to better acquaint myself with the woman who won my dear brother's heart." The pleasantness that had been in his voice had taken on an icy chill.

His eyes bore into her's and she found that she could not avert her gaze. Unnerving though his stare was, it was the first time she had really noticed the brilliance of his bright green orbs. They were made all the more striking by the contrast of his raven hair, which was slicked back away from his face. She had not been able to admire his eyes as he slept, but now felt as though her knees could not support her weight at the sight of them. She was grateful that he still gripped her arms, holding her upright. However, she was not comfortable with the fluttering feeling his touch was evoking in the pit of her stomach. The patches of skin where his long, elegant fingers had wrapped themselves tingled at the contact.

Jane was mortified. She didn't think she had ever felt more embarrassed for herself. She had waited so long for Thor and here she was lusting like an immature school girl over a complete stranger. She wanted to shrink into a corner and disappear.

Her feet paced backwards in an attempt to distance herself from him but his hands held her upper arms firmly. She raised her hands to his chest and pushed her palms against him as hard as she could in an attempt to break his grip. She shouldn't have been surprised that it was like trying to move a brick wall.

It was no use, and so she pleaded, averting her eyes somewhere off to his left, "Please, let go of me."

He looked down on her with a knowing smirk plastered on his thin lips. She gasped sharply when he roughly pulled her even closer to him, her hands still pinned upon his armored chest. She was lifted slightly so her legs, already feeling like jelly, were planted to the floor by nothing but the tips of her toes. Loki had moved his head in closer to hers so their lips were agonizingly close. His breath warmed her sensitive skin and she was sure he would be able to feel her trembling. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Why?" he purred, "Are you afraid that Thor will find out?"

"Please," she breathed, so close to his lips, "please, just let me go,"

She thought she saw his eyes narrow at her before she found herself being pushed away from him. She stumbled backwards almost tumbling to the floor but managed to steady herself and thankfully stay on her feet. She paced backward to the corner of the room farthest away from him as she eyed him warily.

His head tilted, studying her for a moment before he turned on his feet and strode towards the door. "You may walk freely within this compound, you've no hope of escaping it."

He waived his hand and she heard the door click. "Enjoy your stay, Miss Foster," he quipped at her sarcastically before existing the room.

Overwhelmed and confused, Jane sunk to the ground and hugged her knees tightly against her chest.

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**This was probably the funnest chapter yet to write ;) Hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you so so much to everyone who faved, watched and reviewed! I was really touched by the response that I got after moving this story to the Thor category. I hope everyone continues to enjoy. I make a point of responding to everyone who takes the time to review, but if I don't it's because it's a guest review and the site won't let me respond to those. But to my wonderful guest reviewers, thank you so much! The reviews really do keep me going :)**

**Also thanks to Pay Her A Visit for posting a link to this story on tumbler :)**

Unwilling Heart: Chapter 9

Jane allowed herself to breathe only when the echo of Loki's footsteps descended down the hallway and disappeared. He hadn't bothered to close the door and from her spot in the corner she could see halls that shared the same bricks as the room she currently occupied. A draft entered from the open door and she shivered.

Jane knew she needed to pick herself up, leave the room, and explore her current environment. She had no idea where she was, and Loki may have been telling the truth about it being inescapable, but she had to try. Despite this knowledge she stayed rooted to the cold concrete floor, knees pulled to her chest.

She could hardly wrap her head around her predicament. It wasn't long ago that she was sitting in her own home, blissfully unaware that a hostile force with his sight set upon her had arrived on the earth. And now here she sat, both literally and figuratively thrown in the dark. She had been uprooted from her modest corner of the planet and tossed into god knows where with no knowledge of anything. That was the worst part of it, the lack of knowledge.

She really hadn't been in the know about anything since Thor's departure. What had happened to him? Why had he not returned? And now there was Loki, who was set upon revenge on Thor. But revenge for what? Jane recalled Thor making brief mention of Loki before the Lady Sif and the Warriors Three had arrived and everything went to hell. Before the revelation of Loki's vicious lie about their father's death, Thor had spoken fondly of the little brother who's sense of humor and pranks made him laugh. Jane's heart had reached out to the blonde warrior when he lamented that he would never again see his beloved younger sibling.

Her heart pounded in her chest, reacting not to Thor's pain, as it always had, but to the thought that her dangerous captor had at some point been a much loved little brother who was quick to laughter. The idea of him with a sense of humor, laughing with mirth instead of malice, was endearing. But the thought was so brief and fleeting that Jane barely registered having it and didn't dwell on it.

What was the cause of Loki's obvious fury? It seemed entirely one sided as Thor had expressed nothing but the deepest love for his family. What had taken place between the brothers when Thor returned to Asgard? And what was Loki doing here now?

How was Jane to calculate her next move when she knew so little?

She placed her palms upon the cold floor and pushed herself up, cautiously making her way towards the door. She supposed that there was only one person around right now that could answer her rather pressing questions.

Jane peered around the open door frame to find no activity in the hall. She warily stepped out of the room and randomly choose to go left down the long hallway. At the end of that hall she could only make a right and followed that path and each path that came after it. The farther she walked the more activity she heard in the distance, though she came across no people yet. Part of her hoped that she wouldn't. Wasn't Loki enough to deal with?

Then she remembered that Eric was likely to be somewhere around. If Loki's control on Jane's mind had worn off then perhaps it had worn off on Eric as well? She dared to hope.

Jane could make out the lively movements and voices of people as she grew closer to a large room. The room was lit more brightly than the hallways and small room she had woken up in. There was all manner of equipment set up and various men either working at computer panels or navigating around them. A few of the men eyed her curiously as she walked in to inspect the set up, but it was a brown haired, serious looking man who approached her. His haunting blue eyes gave away the fact that he was under Loki's forced influence and she took a small step backwards when he stood before her.

"Miss Foster, I presume," he folded his arm across his chest as he regarded her. "You shouldn't be in this part of the base."

"Loki said that I could walk freely within this structure." She crossed her own arms across her chest in defiance.

"Be that as it may, this is a classified area, a prisoner has no business here."

"It's okay, Agent Barton," Jane's heart leaped in her chest when Eric approached behind the man who was clad in black before her. "It's good that Jane is here, she may be able to offer me some help."

"No." Agent Barton retorted firmly. "She's a prisoner of Loki, she is to have no knowledge of the work that we are performing here. See to it that she leaves of I will personally confine her to a secluded corner of this base."

Eric nodded at the man and placed a hand on Jane's back, leading her into a different hallway than the one she arrived from. "He's right Jane, if Loki wanted you to be involved with our work he would have told us so."

Jane's heart sunk when she realized that Eric's bewitched eyes had not changed since she last saw him. "Oh, Eric..." She whispered softly, raising to the tips of her toes and throwing her arms around his neck. "I'll find someway to free you, I promise." How she would do that, she had no idea, but there had to be something that could be done.

Jane's body stiffened when she caught sight of green out of the corner of her eye. She hadn't noticed while talking to Barton that Loki was standing, hands behind his back, at the opposite end of the large room. She and Eric stood at the mouth of the hallway opposite to where the God of Mischief was situated. He had a clear view of them. His head tilted slightly when Eric's hand slowly came to rest on Jane's back in response to her embrace. Jane guessed that he must have been curious to see how Eric would respond to her in his current state.

Jane looked away from Loki, giving Eric a firm squeeze and momentarily burying her face against his chest before she pulled away. She knew what she was about to say to him would be useless, but decided to try anyways. Both palms were gently placed on either side of her mentor's face. She hoped that the contact would be a subconscious reminder to him that it was her that he needed to place his trust in... not Loki. Her voice whispered urgently "Eric, please, we can't stay here, Loki will kill us when he no longer has a use for us. Do you know where we are? Do you have a way out of here?"

Eric raised his arms to take Jane's hands in his own, removing them from his face and pressing them gently together between his larger palms. "Don't be afraid," he smiled at her. "Loki is going to show us so much, his knowledge is even greater than Thor's was! He's already shown me more than I could have ever hoped to know."

Jane looked down, shaking her head furiously. "Eric, no! I don't know what Loki has planned, but whatever it is it won't be good for us... please, you have to listen to me!"

Eric squeezed her hands tighter, placing a light kiss upon her forehead, "Trust me Jane, it'll be okay, you'll see." The action was meant to reassure her but his statement made her want to slap him into his senses. She bitterly noted that a hit to the head would be unlikely to cure him of his current state, so she refrained. Eric turned from her then and strode back towards a tent that seemed to be his work station.

Jane turned her attention back to Loki who was standing in the same pose he'd been in when she first sighted him. Now, however, he had a smile plastered across his handsome features. Her conversation with Eric had been as silent as she could make it, and she had been sure when speaking that Loki was too far away to catch any of it. But his smile made it clear that he had somehow heard every desperate word she had spoken. Jane wanted to march up to him and demand that he release Eric immediately, but of course he wouldn't.

She suddenly remembered that she had intended to find her captor and try her best to get him to answer some of her questions. Her foot raised to take a step in his direction, but came back down in the same spot. Her heart was beating quite fast. She was sure it was at least in part due to her conversation with Eric, but she knew that wasn't the only reason. The fluttering in her stomach was a definite indication that she was once again reacting to Loki's presence.

Jane forced out an irritated huff of breath. This was so unlike her. She appreciated a handsome face just as much as the next girl, but Jane was an intelligent woman. She wasn't one to completely lose her senses over something as superficial as good looks. That especially held true when the good looking man in question happened to be a dangerous and vengeful Norse God.

She gave Loki an exasperated look which he responded to by placing a hand on his chest and bowing slightly in her direction. She stopped herself from rolling her eyes before turning on her heels and striding down the hallway away from the large room. She didn't have it in her to question Loki now. She was too angry about Eric's enslavement and she needed a rational mind to deal with the tricky God of Mischief. What was more, she was so furious with herself that her hands were shaking at her sides as she walked. Poor Eric was still under that horrible spell and Jane had the nerve to be feeling butterflies in her stomach at the sight of the dark haired Demigod? The whole thing was deplorable.

No, she certainly wasn't in any state to deal with Loki at the moment. She would continue to explore the compound. Who knows, maybe she would stumble upon a way out.

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**If only Jane realized that hitting Eric in the head really would have freed him ;)**

**Promise there will be more Loki/Jane next chapter :) Until then, please review! :D**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks for all the favs and reviews, you guys are amazing :) **

**I try to read and reread as much as possible to make sure each chapter is as good as it can be, but I apologize for any mistakes there may be. Please let me know if there's anything that needs fixing.**

Unwilling Heart: Chapter 10

Jane's brisk footsteps echoed through the narrow corridor as she distanced herself from the large room that Eric and Loki currently occupied. The busy sounds of the men hard at work in that room grew more quiet the further Jane walked. Conversations that she could have easily overheard a moment ago became muffled.

The sound of Jane's own boots hitting pools of water sounded so loud in her ears. She hated small spaces and had to force herself to breathe steadily to keep from reacting to the walls that seemed to almost close in on her. Even as a child, she had preferred to be outdoors, preferably at night when she would have the privilege to observe the stars above. It was a regular habit for her to step outside every night so that she could gaze into the sky and ponder what secrets the stars held. As a child she marveled at the beauty of the constellation. As an adult she viewed them with academic interest, and since she met Thor she looked to them nightly, hoping that the God of Thunder would once again drop from the clouds. She had felt closest to him in their time of separation when she looked up and imagined that perhaps he was looking back at her.

Perhaps that's what she needed right now to dispel her inappropriate thoughts about Loki, to look up at the stars and remember Thor. She suddenly felt a surge of guilt when she realized that she hadn't been thinking about Thor very much at all since she had arrived here. Her thoughts had been consumed with Loki. Loki and his intimidating yet mesmerizing presence. His sultry voice and gorgeous eyes. Eyes that were the most beautiful shade of green that she had ever beheld.

Jane shuddered and shook her head. Stockholm syndrome. That was the only explanation for her very unexpected and sudden attraction to the man who had confined her to this pit. She was in a traumatic situation and much to her dismay, her fate rested entirely in Loki's hands at the moment. Stockholm syndrome, made perfect sense. Her mind must have been trying to find some kind of connection to her captor in order to make her predicament more bearable.

Jane couldn't say that she was happy with her mind's approach to coping with the situation. It did, however, comfort her to believe that her new found attraction was nothing more than a defensive reaction to a rather extreme turn of events. She wasn't so fickle as to loose interest in brave, sweet Thor simply because another handsome face had come into her line of vision. Jane was more devoted to Thor than that. She loved him.

'She loved Thor, adored him. She wanted to be with him always.' Jane allowed these words to echo within her mind. 'There was no one for her but Thor.' But the more she repeated this, the less she felt her heart's connection to the statement. The thought grew louder and louder in her head until her lips moved to vocalize her assertions aloud. But they were just words. Nothing but words.

No. No, this couldn't be right. It was the Stockholm syndrome making her feel this numbness towards Thor. She had to get out of here. She had to distance herself from Loki's influence and see the stars to re-establish her connection with Thor.

Jane spared a glance at her wrist watch. It read 11:35, although if that was night or day in whatever time zone she happened to be in, she had no idea. She had no idea if her beloved stars were shining now or not.

She starred at the worn bricks and water stained walls that surrounded her. She wasn't exactly sure what this place was supposed to be. It resembled a subway station, though she hadn't come across any train tracks or even subway signs on the walls that would have provided any hint of her location.

The background noise had grown almost silent when Jane realized that a second set of footsteps had joined her own. She turned frantically, her steps moving instinctively backwards when she saw a man approaching behind her. He was tall, with sandy brown hair and a clean shaven face. His build seemed to be about the same as Loki's and he was clad in black cargo pants, a grey shirt, and a black vest.

Her apprehension was evident. "It's alright..." he soothed, taking slow steps towards her. "I saw you in the other room and wanted to give this to you." He raised one hand and Jane saw that from it hung the duffel bag she had brought with her when Loki came to collect her from SHIELD's protective custody. Her heavy winter coat was draped on top of it.

Jane hesitated, her dangerous situation had left her in a state of constant alert and the stranger seemed to sense this. He spoke again. "I piloted the jet that brought you here, I saw that you left your bag behind and have been looking to return it to you. My name is Jason, Jason Fields."

Jane halted her retreat only because she had backed into one of the corridor's worn walls. Jason stopped as well, making no move towards her. He slowly placed the bag and coat on the floor and took a few steps back from it. "I can understand why you're afraid, I'm told you were brought here against your will?"

She eyed him warily and he gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that when I flew you back here, you seemed to come with Loki willingly at the time. I... I just want to return your bag to you, I swear I don't mean you any further harm." As he said this it registered to her that the man before her did not hold the same bewitched eyes as Eric. He must have been acting on his own free will.

Jane found her voice. "Why are you helping Loki?"

Jason blinked at her, "I'm not helping Loki... not really. To be honest I'm not even sure exactly what it is he's after. I was just told that he has plans to take down SHIELD, that's all I'm interested in."

Jane wondered what this man could possibly have against SHIELD. Did he even realize how dangerous Loki was? Did he know that Loki was a Demi God, not of this world? Somehow she doubted it, and she doubted he'd believe her if she told him so.

"What do you have against SHEILD?" she cautiously questioned.

The corners of his lips rose in a light smile. "I'd tell you, Miss, but we only just met." He gazed at her a moment before saying, "I'm sorry if I startled you." He tossed a small packet onto her bag and winter coat before turning to leave. Jane looked at the packet and realized that it was a tray with a foil seal over top of it. Food. It looked like a tray of food.

Her feet took three speedy steps forward and she called out to him, "Wait!" He stopped and turned to give her a curious look. "Um, thank you.. for bringing my bag.. and for the food." He smiled kindly at her and nodded. She wasn't sure why this man was reaching out to her, but in her current predicament, she noted that she'd be a fool to turn away a potential ally. She had no one down here. Not even Eric.

Jane wanted to ask Jason what his motives for helping her were, but decided it would be wise to refrain from saying anything that might come across as insulting.

His deep voice removed her from her thoughts. "I didn't catch you name."

"It's Jane..." she was about to give her last name as well but stopped before it passed her lips. The man seemed to wish her no ill will, but she still didn't know him. Perhaps it was best to offer no more than necessary.

"A pleasure to meet you, Jane." His started to pivot on his foot to leave again but looked hesitant. Instead of turning entirely his body froze and his head turned back in her direction. "I guess after refusing to tell you why I have it in for SHIELD, it would be unfair of me to ask why Loki is holding you here?"

She shrugged. "It might be just a little unfair."

Jason smiled at her. "Maybe we can share stories sometime then? That would be fair, wouldn't it."

"I think that would put us on more even ground," she offered, not willing to push away the one person who seemed willing to provide her any amount of help. She pointed to the tray of food that he had left her, "Can I ask where I would get more food when I need it?"

"There's a large supply of it on the west side of the base, feel free to go and take some whenever you'd like. They've also set up a few showers near that area and there's working bathrooms in a few places around the base. They shouldn't be too hard to find."

She thanked him as he turned to leave. Jane stayed rooted to the spot, listening to his retreat until she could no longer hear his steps. She walked towards her bag and tossed it over her shoulder continuing on her way to find an exit to this horrid place.

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**I didn't want to end this chapter here, planned to have a lot more Loki in this one, but I don't think it'll flow well if I continue, so going to break it off here. Will get started on the next chapter now though. Depending on how smoothly it goes I may even have it up later tonight or tomorrow, so please check back! Promise it will be rich in Loki/Jane goodness ;)**


	11. Chapter 11

**IMPORTANT: To anyone clicking through from the search results link, please note that there are three new chapters this weekend, 10, 11 and 12. Don't want anyone to read only the most recent posting not realizing that there were multiple updates ;)**

**So I aimed to get Chappy 11 up ASAP as promised. It's all done but way longer than usual. So I'm splitting it up. Don't worry! 12 is pretty much done. Just proofing it and it'll be posted tonight :)  
**

**And thanks for the reviews and watches on chapter 10 so far! :D**

Unwilling Heart: Chapter 11

2:00. That's what Jane's watch read. Am or pm, she wasn't sure, but either way it mean that she had been wandering her prison for about two and a half hours. Her heart sunk further and further every time she followed a corridor only to come to a dead end or closed off area. Never was it an exit.

She tried to stay positive, reminding herself that if Loki was right, then Thor would be arriving sometime in the near future. All she had to do was find a way to the surface and he would find her. Somehow, he would find her.

But the thought of Thor's protective embrace provided her neither strength nor comfort. It should comfort her, but it didn't. And this fact, coupled with the frustration of meeting dead end after dead end sent her into a rage that was uncharacteristic of her. At one point after turning a corner to stare at bitter disappointment yet again, she grunted in anger and flung her bag against a wall.

She had been glad that no one was around to hear the string of colorful profanities that had escaped her lips. Jane had never been one for excessive use of certain four letter words, she found them a very vulgar and uncreative way to express oneself. But she had fallen to her knees at that moment swearing like a drunken sailor. She hoped that her parents, rest their souls, weren't looking down on her at that particular point in time. She didn't want anyone to see her breaking so inelegantly under the weight of her strenuous circumstances.

Jane forced herself to breathe slowly, as she found she had been doing frequently since she had awoken in this terrible pit. She once again had to force her mind to take control of her crestfallen emotions. There was more to consider here than her sudden bewildering apathy towards Thor. There was more here to consider than even her own well being.

Eric.

If she failed herself that was one thing, but she couldn't fail Eric. If Jane didn't manage to escape then who would save her mentor? Her dear Eric who's constant presence had been an anchor for her since she had lost her parents at a young age. She needed to be strong for both of them. He was relying on her, whether he realized it or not.

And so Jane continued on, thoroughly exploring the underground base. She had covered the same locations multiple times in the hope that perhaps there was something she had missed. She had even found the area Jason had mentioned that contained the food rations. While she was there she had thought it wise to grab a few more of the plastic trays of food and a few bottles of water. The added weight made her bag heavy and she was now shifting it from shoulder to shoulder to keep either side from growing sore under the strain.

It was a short way from where the food rations were located that she at long last came across the official exit to the base. It was located in a large room, the largest she had seen in this place. There were multiple vehicles parked in the vast space. Her way out seemed to lay beyond a large pair of double doors which were currently open. A fairly steep ramp lead up to the surface from the base of the doors. A short way up the ramp she could make out a wet spot and she realized that it's source was rain that was falling outside. She'd never been so eager for the chance to go walking out in the rain. She would have to walk up the ramp in order to catch a glimpse of the outdoors.

The doors were stationed with four guards, all clad in black and heavily armed. Jane peered around a corner eying them nervously for a long while. She surveyed the area for a way around them, and was disappointed, though unsurprised that there was none. She watched as others exited the base, the guards simply nodding at them as they passed.

She had hunted for hours, and this was the only way out. How she had hoped that her explorations would have yielded an unknown secret passage leading above ground, but this was it. She had to at least try, there was nothing for it.

Jane shifted her bag to the opposite shoulder once again and stood at her full height. Her hands reached up to smooth her tousled hair against her scalp and then pulled on the hem of her shirt to look as presentable as she could. She strode out of her hiding place with as much confidence as she could muster.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she grew closer to the location of the guards and her way to freedom. Four heads turned to regard her with stoic expressions upon their harsh faces. God, this was a stupid plan. If only it wasn't her only option.

At the impulse to turn and run Jane allowed Eric to enter her thoughts to keep herself going. As she approached the guards she spared them a short glance and nodded in their direction, her feet not stopping as she did so. Before she could take one step through the exit two of the guards stepped in front of her and blocked her path.

She sighed internally. No surprise.

"Loki has ordered me to collect supplies for Doctor Selvig's work," she lied, noting that they did not possess the bewitch eyes of Loki's slaves.

"Like hell he did." One of the two in front of her responded with a gruff voice.

Her mind was frantic. 'Oh God, think of Eric, think of Eric.' The thought rang like a chorus in her head. "Of course he did, do you think anyone else in here knows enough about Doctor Selvig's work to get what he needs? I'm his colleague, I've worked with him closely for years, no one else can collect his supplies for him."

The guard to her front who had not yet spoken looked thoughtful, as though he was actually considering her words. The gruff voiced guard, however, was having none of it.

"I find that hard to believe, considering Loki specifically said not to let the woman leave the base."

She rolled her eyes at him. "He must have been talking about someone else."

"Really?" He grunted at her. "Have you seen any other women around?"

It dawned on Jane with no small amount of discomfort that he was right. She hadn't come across any other women. She was being held captive, the only female in a base filled with potentially violent men. The concept was so unimaginably unpleasant that her brain could only concentrate on two simplistic words...

Exit. _Now._

Almost of their own volition her feet stepped to the side of the guard and tried to squeeze past him. He pushed her back roughly and she raised her voice at him. "Do you think Loki will be pleased when he learns that you're impeding the process of the Doctor's work?"

The silent guard looked worried, but the other raised his voice at her in return, "maybe we should call him to authenticate your story?"

He didn't miss the horrified look in her eyes. Loki was far more dangerous than these guards, she certainly didn't want him to come here to validate her fabricated story.

The man snorted at her. "I didn't think so."

From behind her she heard the other two guards chuckling. "Maybe she can convince us to let her out." Jane didn't miss their implied meaning and it made her skin crawl. There was no way they were letting her out. It was time to put as much distance between herself and these men as possible.

Jane forced her posture to remain tall as she tried to head back in the direction she came from. She jumped visibly when the two guards who were behind her stepped in her way.

"What the hurry?" One of them drawled. "If you want out, we can help you... you just have to help us first." Jane thought she would be sick.

"Enough!" The gruff voiced guard cut in and pushed the two away from Jane. "You know Loki said no one is to lay a hand on this one. Do you really want to find out what he'll do if we disobey?"

One of them laughed. "What can he do? If he tells me anything I swear I'll shoot him between the eyes."

Another chimed in "I don't know, I heard he's not even from earth. I heard bullets bounce off of him and he can kill just by looking at you."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

"I don't care what's true or not true," The gruff one cut in again. "We have orders." He turned to Jane then. "Run along now, girl. And don't let us see you here again"

Jane didn't have to be told twice. She took off as fast as her tired feet could carry her, running aimlessly and holding in frightened, frustrated tears. She had failed. That was her only way out and she had failed. She wanted to scream. She wanted to run to Eric and wrap her arms around him and cry her apologies to him for not being able to save him. But in his currently state poor Eric wouldn't even understand the repercussions of her failure.

She ran and ran until she somehow found herself standing in front of the room she had woken up in. She stood staring at the door. At least she knew there was a bed in there. She wanted nothing more than to lay in bed, close her eyes, and block out every disagreeable detail of this place.

But she couldn't bring herself to go in. For all she knew Loki was in there now, or would come in as she was sleeping. She couldn't bring herself to sleep where Loki would easily find her, especially not after she had just listened to the horrifying suggestive comments of the guards.

Jane recalled that she had come across a large empty room in her wanderings. She made her way to that room hoping to huddle into a corner and rest undisturbed. Her feet ached as she walked, worn from hours moving along without rest. Still, she moved swiftly, eager to find a place where she could find at least a small amount of peace for the moment.

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**I know, I know, no Loki yet. But I promised there would be which it why chapter 12 is going up tonight. It's mostly all Loki/Jane interaction ;)**


	12. Chapter 12

**IMPORTANT: To anyone clicking through from the search results link, please note that there are three new chapters, 10, 11 and 12. Don't want anyone to read only the most recent posting not realizing that there were multiple updates ;)**

**I've been working all day on this one. Wanted to get 12 up right away because I promised Loki would be in 11, but it didn't work out that way. But he's in most of this one!**

**This is a longer chapter, hope you enjoy! **

Unwilling Heart: Chapter 12

Jane ran to the large, vacant room where she hoped to find her solitude. When she arrived her eyes darted around it's corners to be sure she was alone. Satisfied that there was no one around she dropped her bag to the floor and rubbed the shoulder that had been holding it. As she massaged her aching muscles she took note of a smooth bit of wall that she hadn't noticed when she passed through here previously. She eyed the wall curiously, slowly walking closer to it. It looked like a door, caked in dust, but there were no handles. She looked to the side of the door to find a smooth panel, also caked in dust.

Her hand passed along the panel, clearing the build up away and she coughed as some of it flew to her nose. But even as she coughed she noticed that the dust had been concealing buttons. It was an elevator. Could it actually work? She closed her eyes and breathed before pressing a button.

Nothing happened. Of course not. Her fingers pounded the other buttons angrily but the doors yielded no response. She shifted back to the closed doors and ran her hand along the dusty surface, clearing a reflective metal surface as the thick dust fell away. She held her other hand to her mouth and nose to keep the flying particles from disturbing her again. Her image reflected in the surface that she uncovered and she stared at it absently.

Removing her hand from her face she tried to pry her fingers between the crease where the two doors met and attempted to pull to one side. She knew it was hopeless before starting, barely able to wedge even her fingertips into the crease. Regardless, with whatever grip she could manage she pulled desperately, imagining that the doors would actually part with her efforts.

They did not. And disappointment gnawed at her for the umpteenth time that day.

She kicked the door as hard as she could and pounded at the surface with the sides of closed fists. Silent tears now fell as she paced back to where she had laid her bag, plopping herself down beside it. To her amazement, she hadn't shed a single tear since this whole mess began. But tears now clouded her vision and her hand looked blurry to her eyes as she swiped them together to rid her palms of the dust that clung to them.

She remembered when Loki had first arrived in her home she had stubbornly refused to shed tears in the face of death. And that was all because she wanted to be strong for Thor. But she grudgingly admitted to herself that her tears had been denied since then, not because of a desire to make Thor proud, but because of Loki. She had no shortage of reasons to weep since her arrival here, but had held her tears each time they threatened for fear that Loki would walk in as emotions overwhelmed her. She didn't think he would be impressed by such a display, and the fact that she cared about that at all made her weep even harder.

She opened one of the water bottles and poured some of the liquid into her hands, rubbing them together to rid herself of the dust entirely. She then wiped her hands against her pants to dry them before wiping the tears from her eyes. She closed her lids in an effort to cease her crying and a few minutes and deep breaths later she managed to get her emotions back in check. She was extremely grateful that she had stopped her crying when she did, because only five minutes later a smooth voice filled her ears.

"Hiding, Miss Foster?"

He had come in so silently she couldn't be entirely sure when he had entered. She greatly hoped that it was after her tears had ceased. Her head bowed and shaking fingers wiped her face of any remaining wetness as she answered his query. "Yes," she responded. There was no reason to lie, of course she was hiding. Why wouldn't she be hiding?

He stood in front of her now, towering over her and casting his shadow on her small form. He placed a pale palm over his heart and professed, "How you wound me! I allow you to roam freely and unshackled within your confines. And you take advantage of my generosity by neglecting to return to your quarters at a reasonable hour. You've had me looking for you for quite some time now. Do I need to put you on a curfew?"

Jane glanced at her watch. 3:45. That answered her question about a.m. or p.m.

"What does it matter where I stay? That room, this room, some other room, they're all within this place. This place that I can't escape," she forced out bitterly.

His legs bent and he seated himself a few feet away from her. His transition from standing to sitting was so fluid she had to mentally kick herself for admiring his grace. He crossed his legs and leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. His long fingers weaved themselves together, thumbs pointing upwards, the tips resting against each other. He looked attentive, amused and as flawlessly handsome as every other time Jane had seen him.

"It took you all night to discover what I've already told you? That this base is inescapable?"

"I had to try," she couldn't keep the sadness from her voice and averted her gaze so he at least wouldn't see it in her eyes.

"I supposed you did," he agreed simply.

She felt her eyes burn again and lifted her opened bottle of water to her lips to distract herself before tears could fall. It was only then that she acknowledged how thirsty she was and had to keep herself from downing the whole bottle in a few uncouthly gulps.

His eyes remained fixed on her and he spoke only when she lowered the bottle. " To answer your initial question, it does indeed matter where you stay."

She uttered what defiance she could. "To reiterate my initial question, why should it?" She knew she was being hostile, but at least hostility was an appropriate mask for the attraction she had been feeling towards him.

"Because your quarters are also my quarters."

She looked him dead in the eyes at that. "I'd rather not share quarters with you," she spat the words coldly at him. "I'm quite fine where I am."

"That's rather short sighted of you, Miss Foster."

He leaned forward slightly further, his green orbs burning into her, speaking in little more than a whisper. "Has it escaped your notice that you happen to be the only woman in a compound brimming with morally questionable men? As I understand it, more than half the inhabitants of this base are mercenaries and murderers. And more than half the people they encounter are, no doubt, victims or victims in waiting." He gave her a meaningful look, leaning back to his original position. "Are you really comfortable allowing sleep to take you while you lay vulnerable in such an environment?"

He was echoing her concerns from earlier almost exactly. Concerns that were proven quite valid by the implications those beastly guards had made. She wondered if word of that incident had made it back to his ears. She hoped not. "And you aren't a morally questionable man?" she asked skeptically.

"Whether I am or am not is irrelevant in this instance. It wouldn't serve my purposes to have you harmed by these men. I have ordered that they keep their distance from you, but you humans are a disobedient lot."

Her reply dripped with sarcasm. "So I should fear them more than you?"

"I don't recall saying that," he smirked. "But as I've said you haven't much to fear from me at the present time. That's the best you can hope for at the moment."

"Well it would be nice to know when I do have something to fear from you. At least give me a running start."

"I'll take it into consideration," was his amused reply.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Jane was more than a little uncomfortable with the idea of going back to that little room with him. As if reading her thoughts he stated, "you have but two options. Either choose to return to your quarters when you take rest or remain bound to that room permanently. Either way, spending your nights in my presence is not negotiable. You might show some gratitude for the protection that my company will offer you in this place."

"It's difficult to show gratitude when I don't belong here at all."

He raised a brow slightly but did not bother to respond.

Great. She had only recently come to the conclusion that her inconvenient attraction to Loki was the result of stockholm syndrome. And now she was being forced to rely on him for protection from whatever beasts dwelled in this hell hole. That reliance wasn't going to help with her stockholm syndrome one bit. Even now she felt drawn to him... especially now, sitting close as he was, giving her his undivided attention.

Every word he'd spoken to her had been as smooth as honey. If he sat reading her the phone book she would have paid rapt attention. His armor rested on his frame, complimenting him as perfectly as if he'd been born in it. The dim lighting did nothing to diminish the sculpted features of his visage. Even if her attraction to him wasn't the result of terrible circumstance, she would have still appreciated his unearthly beauty.

She realized that she was staring and abruptly lowered her eyes, swirling the water around in her bottle. About half of the liquid still remained and she gave it her full attention, as though it were the most interesting thing she'd ever seen.

"May I?" She looked up at him confused and he gestured to the half consumed bottle. She passed it too him and his fingers lightly touched hers as he took it. She pulled her hand back as if she'd been burned.

He brought the bottle to his thin lips, taking in the clear liquid. "It's... it's been long since I've had need or opportunity to speak in such length." He stopped for a moment, seemingly lost in his own statement before his eyes refocused and he downed the remainder of the water.

He looked worn and tired to her then. And it occurred to her that from the moment she first laid eyes on him she felt that there was something very sad and lonely about him. Jane longed, not for the first time, to know what had happened between Loki and Thor. It seemed that her captivity would not end anytime soon. There would be time to gently prod for an answer to that question.

She found that she could not remove her eyes from him. Luckily he didn't notice as he seemed rather engrossed by the empty water bottle. It turned in his hands as he examined it, running his fingers on it's surface curiously. Presumably plastic bottles were not found on Asgard. Jane found his fascination with the simple object to be... charming. Much to her dismay she felt a swell of affection and she lowered her gaze again in an attempt to be rid of it.

They sat in silence for some time before Loki spoke again. "That was a rather touching display earlier, between yourself and Doctor Selvig." She searched his voice and expression for any hints of his trademark sarcasm but found that he seemed only curious. He had placed the water bottle to his side and she once again had his full attention.

"The two of you are close?" She hesitated to give any response. Her mere presence in this place was proof that Loki was willing to use the closeness between two people as a weapon against them. She was being held hostage here because of her relationship with Thor. Heaven forbid Eric be used in the same manner. But there was no denying her connection with the Doctor. Loki had already seen how affectionately they had reacted towards each other, he was well aware that there was genuine love between herself and Eric.

Still, instead of answering yes or no she took another approach. If she could not find a way out of this place for herself and Eric then perhaps she could bargain for his safety. "Eric is a good man. One of the best examples of humanity you could possibly find. Won't you let him go? Please?"

He smiled broadly at her and laughed. "Well this is touching isn't it?" There was a pause. "But no. I have use for the good doctor. He remains here."

She leaned forward and was sure to keep eye contact with him. "After then. After you've finished with him. Will you let him go then? Will you leave him unharmed?"

The smile had not left his face. "And what would you give me if I agreed to do so?"

She thought for a moment. "Anything. Whatever you ask. I'll stay here with no arguments and you can use me in your plans in anyway you wish."

"That is no bargain," he scoffed at her. "I already possess both yourself and Selvig, you offer me nothing I haven't already taken. But still, how sweet your willingness is to give all to ensure the Doctor's safety. How selfless of you."

"Is there no one you would offer the same for? A friend? Family?" She regretted the words the moment they escaped her lips. His eyes flashed dangerously. His cold stare fell upon her and she felt a shiver up her spine. But despite his unnerving stare she found herself pitying him. Was he really so alone?

He ignored her question and posed one of his own. "And what of Thor, Miss Foster? Would you sacrifice yourself so freely for his benefit?"

"That's why I'm here, isn't it? You know quite well that I would."

"I know nothing of the sort," he hissed at her. "I know only of Thor's little infatuation with you. Tell me, have your emotions remained faithful in his absence?"

How was it that he knew exactly where to stab at her? She had been struggling with her emotions since she arrived here, this was the last thing she wished to discuss with Loki. Jane did her best to deflect his line to questioning. "Thor... he never returned. Everything that you're doing, kidnapping me to use against him, it's all needless. If Thor cared so much he would have returned long ago."

She swallowed. It was an insecurity that she had refused to spend too much time focusing on. But there it was, out in the open.

One finger now rested upon his lips and he stared at her as though he were mulling something over. "He never returned because the bifrost was destroyed. But his devotion to you, no doubt, remains." He eyed her, obviously trying to gage her reaction. "So I ask you again, Miss Foster. Do you remain faithful to Thor?"

Jane felt terrible. She had hoped beyond hope that Thor's interest in her had not waned, had convinced herself that it hadn't. But she was now hearing confirmation that Thor still waited for her, and it did not bring her joy. How she had longed for that confirmation and upon hearing it, she felt nothing. Nothing but guilt.

None the less, she answered him. "Yes. Yes, of course I remain faithful to him."

"Do you?" His smile was unpleasant. "Why do I not believe you."

She looked down to her hands. "I love Thor."

"Well, if it's truth you speak then I'm sure he'll be pleased to hear it. But I can't help but notice that you don't look at me as you say so." He leaned forward again, his voice like silk as he spoke, "look at me, Miss Foster, and say it again."

Her eyes met his in defiance. She stared into his gaze, his beautiful green gaze. And she could say nothing. "I..." she tried but couldn't manage and looked down again, defeated. Her hands shook so fiercely she had to press them against her lap to still them.

"Is it so difficult to say? You must not truly love him then. Have your attentions swayed to another?" He asked it with a smirk. "Tell me about him. Blonde like Thor, or dark haired? Is he wealthy? Does he promise you security and a lavish lifestyle? Is that what it takes to pull your affections from the mighty Thor? Or perhaps you've been won over by some dreamy eyed mortal with a poetic tongue."

Jane still looked down, shaking her head side to side furiously.

"No?" He purred, "someone else then? Someone... more worthy, perhaps?"

Jane shook her head again, forcefully declaring, "There's no one! I've told you, I love Thor!" She still did not look at him.

"It's not me you need to convince, Miss Foster." She was startled when he rose abruptly, grabbing her wrist as he went and forced her to stand with him. She tried to resist when he dragged her over to the reflective surface of the elevator door, but to no avail. She was forced to stand in front of him before the elevator, her back pressed to his torso. One powerful, leather clad arm draped across her collar bone, hand clinging to her shoulder, pinning her to him. She could see them both reflected in the metal door's surface. Only then did she notice with embarrassment that her eyes were still quite red from the tears she had shed before his arrival.

He purred in her ear, "lie to me all you wish, but don't lie to yourself. Look into the mirror and say it."

She took one look at her own reflection, Loki's form towering over her, and looked away. "Stop this!"

"Why is this so difficult for you?" He seemed like he was enjoying her discomfort far too much. "I'll tell you why. Because you're too honest. Perhaps that is part of what Thor so loves about you? You're too honest to lie to yourself. Too honest to lie even to me. I wonder, will you be able to trick him into believing you still care for him when you are reunited?"

"I do care for him!"

"But not as much as you care for this other man, I think." His free hand grabbed her chin and forced her to stare at the two of them reflected in the metal. "Are you in love with him? This new man who has replaced Thor?"

"There is no other." She whispered it quietly and weakly.

He was not convinced. "There is. Do you love him?" He whispered it back at her.

She was shaking now. Her legs were weak and her heart felt like it was lodged in her throat. Loki stared at her image in the door, allowing her mind to work as he patiently awaited an answer. She was faint, wanting to drop to the floor, if only to end this conversation. Her brown eyes took in his reflection, holding her tightly to him. His dark hair made his face seem so pale, his skin was like porcelain. But as always it was his eyes that drew her. She looked into them, seeing the young boy that Thor had told her he was so close to. The young boy with a sense of humor who laughed heartily and easily. Her vision became blurry with tears. There was no stopping them, and when she shut her lids tightly, the drops of liquid rolled down her cheeks.

Her lids remained tightly closed when she finally answered. It was barely more than a whisper. "Yes, I.. I love him." There was anguish written all over her soft features and if she had opened her eyes she would have seen Loki's triumphant smile.

"Poor Thor," he said with mock sadness. "How crushed he shall be."

Guilt tore at Jane's insides like a blunt knife. She had truly loved Thor only a few days ago. She knew she did. And she had loved others before him. But the extent of what she felt for Loki now... she had never felt anything like it, never anything so potent. And she couldn't recall how it had happened.

How could anyone fall in love with a stranger in only mere hours? It was complete nonsense, really. She couldn't even recall actually having fallen in love with him. It was like contemplating the existence of the universe itself... it was just there, and had always been there... somehow. And somehow, she was deeply love with Loki. Her heart would accept no assertions to the contrary.

She felt so out of control and lost. Her own emotions had betrayed her.

She felt Loki's grip on her loosen and she finally opened her eyes when he released her. Her body felt cold when he moved away from her. "Come now, we must be heading back."

Her fingers wiped the wetness from her face, her feet rooted to the spot. Upon seeing her apprehension he sighed. "We've been over this. Sharing my quarters is not an option, slumbering in the open is unwise and dangerous for you in this place."

When she still didn't move he picked up her bag and gestured for her to follow. "I shan't lay an unwelcome hand upon you as you sleep, if that is your fear. How could I? Knowing how attached your heart is to this mystery man of yours." She missed his knowing look.

There was no choice but to take his words at face value, unwise though that may be. So she followed.

"Besides," he added "You aren't to my rather particular tastes."

After having just admitted to herself that she was so hopelessly in love with him, that comment felt like a slap. But how could she expect him to know how much that stung when she had not revealed that Loki himself was her mystery man.

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**Oh, that pesky love spell. Stockholm syndrome my butt ;P**

**That was kind of a mean jab by Loki at the end there, I know. Actually I've gotten a few comments asking if Loki will fall in love with Jane, since he's so unpleasant at the moment. Rest assured, he'll see her good qualities. In fact, in this chapter he came to realize how honest and selfless she is, so he's seen a bit in her already that he didn't know was there ;) But he's so angry and distant from everyone that he has to allow himself to see others in a positive light. He's a tough nut to crack ;)**

**Thanks for reading! And sorry if the multiple chapter updates this weekend caused any confusion. Please review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello everyone! My goodness, it's been quite some time. I'm so sorry for the delay. I was hesitating to write this next chapter for sometime. Although I know exactly the direction this story is going, I was at a bit of a loss for some time with how to proceed towards that direction from this point. Think I've figured it out though ;)**

**Thank you so so much to all who have reviewed and faved since the last update. It's because of wonderful readers like you that there's a new chapter now. :)**

Unwilling Heart: Chapter 13

The walk back to Loki's room was a silent one. At so early an hour, most of the inhabitants of the underground base were nowhere to be seen, making the caverns seem as desolate and eerie as ever. It was only now that Jane realized how tired she was as she tried desperately to keep up with Loki's long strides. He spared her the occasional glance to be sure she was keeping up but said nothing. He seemed as though he was deep in thought about something, though what that something was Jane could not even begin to guess.

She had been through so much in such a short time and all her analytical mind wanted to do was sort it all out and make sense of it. She had just come to realize that she was desperately in love with the man who marched in front of her. She knew that she was attracted to him, that much had been obvious to her. But attraction could be ignored, what she was feeling now... she could not ignore it, especially now that the depth of her emotions had been laid out for her to see.

She still believed that the whole thing was the result of Stockholm syndrome. It still made perfect sense to her. Her sudden attachment to this man... this man she knew nothing about... it was a defense mechanism her mind was employing to get her though her current situation.

It dismayed Jane to realize that whatever the cause was it hardly mattered. The damage was done and she had found herself in love with Loki. She was trapped in this place with no escape and all she could do now was spend her time trying to know him. She wanted to know him. She wanted to know everything about him. His past, his thoughts, his goals for the future, everything she could possibly learn she wanted to know. And she wanted him to know her as well. He didn't seem to think much of her at the moment, likely because he associated her with Thor. But perhaps he could see more in her. If he did, then whatever his plans were, maybe she could convince him to stop.

Guilt still gnawed at Jane. Up until now she had only felt an attraction towards her captor that she had no intentions of acting upon. But now here she was, hoping that something would come of her feelings. She was betraying Thor with her very thoughts. But it was clear to her now that she was no longer in love with the God of Thunder. She cared for him still, of course she did. And it would please her to see him again regardless of what their relationship was to be after that. But thoughts of him no longer warmed or comforted her. Mental images of them together no longer brought her joy. She wished she could see Thor now so she could thank him for all that he had given her. She wanted to tell him how wonderful he was and apologize to him for her heart's change of direction. Loki had been right about one thing, she could not lie to herself. And she would not dishonor Thor by lying to him either.

If only she could just allow herself to pretend that she still loved Thor. Thor was so much better for her than Loki. Loki who was portrayed as the prince of lies in every bit of literature she had read. Loki who had arrived at her front door with murder in his eyes...

For a moment Jane felt as though she had been splashed with cold water. No! No, this was wrong! Loki had tried to kill her. He stole Eric from her, kidnapped her, was constantly cruel to her. How could she forgive any of that, she should hate him...

Just as the thought entered her mind Jane's heart felt as if it skipped a beat, and the next moment there was a tightening in her chest. She suddenly felt rather faint and though she tried to keep walking her vision began to blur. The next moment she had fallen to her knees, eyes closed, fighting the urge to wretch.

Jane didn't realize that Loki had stopped and kneeled before her until she felt his hand under her chin. His long fingers tilted her head, so he could look upon her face. His green eyes regarded her with curiosity. As she looked into his eyes, and felt his touch upon her chin, her thoughts of hatred towards him vanished, as did her sudden sickness.

"I- I must be more tired than I realized," she mused aloud when the last of her dizziness had past. Loki simply nodded and placed a hand behind her back to help her up.

"The room is just around the corner,' he offered, keeping his hand on her back for a few steps until it was clear she would make it the rest of the way.

Loki paced ahead of her after turning the corner to open the door. There were butterflies in her stomach at the idea of entering the room with him. While she recognized that sharing a room with him was a perfect opportunity to get to know him, the idea of it frightened her. She may have somehow fallen blindly in love with him, but she was not blind to the fact that he was dangerous. However much she cared for Loki she was not oblivious to the fact that he didn't seem to give a damn about her beyond keeping her in once piece to use against Thor.

He entered the room, holding the door open for her to follow. He clearly expected her hesitation but chose to say nothing, instead he patiently waited for her to gather her courage to enter the room. Holding her hands together to keep them from shaking, she took a deep breath and forced her feet to move forward, vanishing all thoughts of where her steps were about to lead her. The door clicked as he closed it behind them.

The butterflies in Jane's stomach did not cease and she felt her heart fluttering at the realization that she was locked in so small a space with Loki. Just the two of them. He strode past her towards the small bed that she had woken up in seemingly ages ago. Her arms folded across her chest in a protective gesture as he approached the cot. She expected him to lay himself down and feared that he would expect for her to follow. She was surprised when he rested only her duffel bag and coat upon the mattress and moved to position himself against the wall farthest away from the bed. He seated himself with his back to the wall, his right leg bent, knee pointing upward with his right elbow rested upon it. His left leg curled towards his body in a relaxed position. Loki's eyes studied her as she stood with her arms still crossed by the closed door.

"Your legs will grow weary if you intend to stand all night."

She looked hesitantly at the bed and then back to Loki, who still regarded her intently. He had obviously placed her belongings on the bed to make it clear that it was her's to rest upon. Her eyes did not leave him as she cautiously made her way to the cot. Her steps were slow, half expecting him to leap at her at any moment. He did not move, though his gaze continued to follow her.

Jane lifted her bag and coat from the bed to the floor and sat herself upon the soft surface of the mattress. It was surprisingly comfortable, though that perception likely had much to do with her current fatigued state. As tired as she was, she made no move to actually lay down, unwilling to relax while Loki sat with his sight still fixed upon her.

Jane spoke for the first time since they entered the room. "You're just going to sit on the floor? All night, every night?"

"Is that an invitation to join you?"

Her face flushed. "No! That isn't what I was asking."

Loki waved a hand lazily in her direction, "Calm yourself, I was merely speaking in jest."

Jane said nothing, embarrassed by her little outburst. He continued, "I assure you the cold of this ground will not affect me. The bed is yours for the duration of your stay here." Loki waved his hand at the single bulb on the ceiling and it extinguished, shrouding the room in darkness for the night. It made her more than a little uncomfortable not being able to see where Loki was at all times.

It was a long moment before Jane's voice spoke through the darkness. "The duration of my stay here? So I won't die in this place then?"

Loki was silent for a long while and every moment he did not answer made Jane's heart pound with anticipation. Finally his voice reached her ears, "No, Miss Foster, you will not die here."

She was sure that he must have heard her sigh of relief. His answer was nothing short of music to her ears. It was a moment before his voice broke the silence again, repeating what he had said earlier in the large elevator room, "I did not go through the trouble of bringing you here only to have you dying before you can be of use to me." It was a rather detached statement as far as concern for her well being went, but the logic of it reassured Jane none the less.

He went on, "I've been informed that 2 of the guards at the base's exit issued some rather distasteful threats to you earlier today?" Jane was grateful for the darkness of the room. She was sure her face must have turned red at his statement. She had very much hoped he hadn't heard of that incident. He didn't wait for her confirmation of the story, "I specifically ordered that you were not to be harmed, they will be dealt with for their disobedience."

Jane wasn't sure what punishment he had in mind for the guards. Frankly, she was afraid to know. "They didn't harm me," she corrected him.

"No, they did not. But they would have had their superior not halted them."

Jane paused before vocalizing her next thought. The guards deserved punishment, they had not harmed her, but it was likely they had harmed others before her. They seemed to be the violent types, most of the inhabitants of the base seemed rather unsavoury. But still... "Please, don't hurt anyone, especially not on my account."

Jane couldn't see Loki's smile in the darkness, but she certainly heard the amusement in his voice. "These men threaten you and you would take it upon yourself to plead for them?"

"I have no doubt most of the people in this place belong in prison cells, but any punishment beyond that would be barbaric."

"If it puts you at ease they will not be punished on your account. But an example must be set to ensure that other do not disobey my orders. You should be grateful, such an example will keep you safer in this place."

"Yes, but..."

Loki cut her protests short. "You still possess the charmed coin that I gave you?" Jane had forgotten about the coin that she had used to call Loki to her when SHIELD had placed her in protective custody. Her hand reached into her pocket to feel for the small object. She was satisfied when she felt the metal against her finger tips and she vocalized to him that she did indeed still have the charmed object.

"Good," was his response. "I should keep you confined here, but you'll need access to the base's food and utilities. The others will be unlikely to disobey my orders when I am finished with those guards. Still, keep that coin with you when leaving this room, and I suggest you keep your wanderings to a minimum."

Jane swallowed but gave no response. It seemed there was nothing she could do to dissuade him from punishing the guards. She only hoped that it would not be too severe. Loki must have taken Jane's silence as an affirmative to his orders. His next words were, "Pleasant dreams, Miss Foster." And then the room fell silent.

Jane was still seated on the bed and stayed so for the next hour, anticipating Loki approaching her in the darkness once she fell asleep. After an hour of listening for movements beyond the boundaries of her bed, she removed her shoes and stretched her aching legs under the blankets. Jane had no intentions of actually falling asleep, much preferring to remain awake until Loki left the room at the start of the next day. The moment her head hit the pillow her eyes began to feel heavy and her body felt as though it was melting into the mattress. The weight finally off of her muscles from the long day felt glorious, and she wanted nothing more than to allow her body to shut itself down for the night. She valiantly fought the battle against fatigue for another half hour before she relented and allowed herself to drift off. After all, she reasoned before sleep took her, awake or not, what could she really do if Loki decided to approach?

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**Hope you enjoyed, please review!**


	14. Chapter 14

**I'm still here! Don't worry, haven't forgotten about this story. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed since the last update. I can't tell you how much it makes me smile when I see a review alert pop up in my e-mail. Seeing all of your encouraging messages will help greatly in getting to the end of this story (which is still a way off.) **

**I would like to finish before Thor 2 comes out. Once the Avengers portions of this story is over I'm sure it won't conform to the new Thor flick. So I'd like to get this out for everyone to enjoy before the new movie makes this feel like an alternate universe fic.**

Unwilling Heart: Chapter 14

It wasn't unusual for Jane to feel a sense of confusion upon awakening. Sometimes she awoke thinking it was a different day of the week than it actually was. At other times she would wake thinking herself to be in an entirely different place than she actually was. But there was no sense of confusion now as her mind regained consciousness. Jane knew exactly where she was, and she wasn't eager to open her eyes. She dreaded opening them, knowing what awaited her; darkness, worn brick walls, a maze of tunnels that yielded no escape from her pit of a prison. Oh god, how she didn't want to open her eyes. But she couldn't very well lay in bed all day pretending she was in her own room again. Jane was an intelligent woman, and logic, as it sometimes did with the intelligent, overpowered her fear. And so she took a deep breath and forced her lids to raise...

...And Jane Foster found herself not in her prison but back in her own home, in her own bed...

She blinked, not believing what she was seeing. Sunlight. There was not a peek of sunlight in the endless corridors of the underground base. But now her skin was warmed by the bright rays of gold that slipped in though her open drapes. The flowing deep violet fabric of the curtains swayed ever so gently, a light breeze entering in through her open window.

Jane's eyes took in every detail of her room feeling as if she'd been absent for years; the light lilac walls, her blue Orchid plant on the windowsill, her oak bookshelf, so full and heavy with large volumes that the shelves dipped slightly in the center. All these small details, things she had taken for granted on a daily basis, things that did not exist in underground prisons.

How was she back? Jane mused the thought, running her hand idly on her wonderfully soft bed sheets. Had she never left? Was all of it nothing more than a dream.

Jane cupped her hands over her face, laughing and shaking her head from side to side. She had never had such a vivid dream in all her life! But of course it was a dream, such events were far too absurd to possibly be real. Jane laughed even harder, both relieved to be in her own home and flabbergasted that she had been so convinced by the fabrications of her own mind.

She sat still for a long while, taking in the familiar sounds and sights of her own home, appreciating them as she usually never thought to. Allowing the memory of the dream to drift from her mind, she hopped out of bed, bare feet sinking into the wool of the sandy colored carpet. Her bare toes sank even deeper into the material as she stretched her arms out, decompressing the muscles of her back. For a moment she was surprised that her muscles were not painfully sore. But why should they be? She had not actually been running through a never ending expanse of tunnels as she had been in that horrid nightmare. In reality she was only slightly sore, a result of nothing more than a long night of sleep in her own bed.

She paced a few steps to her working desk near the window, reaching for a robe that was draped over her leather desk chair. Her hand grabbed and pulled the heavy terrycloth though the air towards her body. There was an audible sound of wood hitting wood when the edge of the robe caught a framed picture on Jane's desk, knocking it face down onto the surface of her workspace.

She slid her arms into the openings of the robe and tied it at the waist before picking up the fallen picture. She stared at the photo within the frame with a slight smile on her face. It was a photo she had stared at often, the only photo she had of Thor. Darcy had snapped the picture with her phone at a diner in New Mexico shortly after they had first met the Asgardian Prince. His handsome face beamed charmingly in the snapshot and she ran her fingertips gingerly over his visage as she often did with that particular photo.

And then Jane felt as though she had been splashed with cold water. Something was wrong, very wrong.

She ran her fingers on the glass protecting the picture once again. Jane felt as though she was having an out of body experience. She was distant, detached, her actions feeling as if they weren't her own. The flawless texture of the glass didn't even register in the nerves of her fingertips. She felt nothing but numbness until her heart began racing anxiously. This was wrong. This was all wrong. This photo had been a comfort object to her for some time now. In moments of melancholy and doubt she had clung to it as a child would cling to a stuffed animal. It never failed to bring her at least some small relief. But she might as well have been holding any random item in her home, because she felt no connection to the special object now.

Jane sat herself in the leather chair, opening the top drawer of the work desk. From the deep drawer she pulled a green handled pair of scissors, the sharp blades a gleaming gold. She felt the weight of the scissors in her palm, idly thinking that she didn't remember the scissors in that drawer being that particular colour. Thinking no more of it, she placed the blade down momentarily so that she could remove the photo of Thor from the frame protecting it. Her finger nails pushed at plastic tabs, removing the back of the frame carefully to gain access to the photograph.

She held the photo in front of her, eying the familiar face printed upon the glossy surface. A steady free hand reached back towards the green and gold scissors, opening the blades to position them over Thor's smiling face. Her mind should be screaming at her to stop. This small object was precious to her, it was illogical and ridiculous to even consider damaging it. She allowed the sharp blade to hover over the picture, waiting for her mind to have a moment of recognition. But her thoughts remained blank, raising no protest to her actions. So Jane squeezed the green handles slicing the precious object in two, vacantly taking in the sight of a portion of Thor's face falling to the floor. And it meant nothing to her.

Because he was nothing to her...

And Jane finally experienced the moment of recognition she was waiting for, but not towards the photograph, but the green and gold scissors she still held in her hand.

Loki? But she had never met Loki. She had only dreamed of him. The God of Mischief had never taken her prisoner, it wasn't real.

Jane's eyes welled up with dismayed tears. Was she truly agonizing that the prison in her dreams was not a reality? She was home, she was free, she was safe. Important as all of that should be it seemed insignificant to her. She couldn't bare the thought of never having met him. She didn't want Thor, she wanted Loki, wanted him so very desperately. How could she possibly feel so strongly if it was nothing but a dream?

The leather chair nearly toppled over when Jane almost leaped from it, rushing for the door. Her steps grew faster the farther she moved until she was running outside onto her front porch. She wasn't entirely sure what her thought process was as she yelled up to the heavens. Anyone passing by would think her crazy. Perhaps she was.

"Loki?" She screamed his name desperately, "Loki?! Please, please hear me!"

"_LOKI?!"_ Her body jerked as she awoke to her own screams in a room so dark she could not even see her own hands in front of her. Her heart pounded, feeling disoriented at waking not to her own bright bedroom, but to the dark prison she had fallen asleep in.

She didn't have time to collect herself before the light in the center of the small room came to life. Sensitive eyes were blinded momentarily by the sudden illumination. When the spots from her eyes cleared she found Loki, still sitting on the floor where he had been the night before, regarding her quizzically.

Her face flushed. Had she just yelled out his name as she awoke? The confounded look on his sharp features told her quite clearly that she had.

Loki's body looked somewhat rigid, perhaps from the surprise of hearing his name screamed randomly in the darkness. His bright orbs met hers and she wondered if she was simply imagining the peculiar look in his eyes. She couldn't place what it was exactly, but for the first time since they had met his gaze was not calculating. Despite her embarrassment for herself she seemed to have succeeded in catching him off guard for once.

"Um...," She stumbled, "I... I was just calling to see if you were still in the room. It... it was so dark, I couldn't tell if anyone was still in here." She was clearly lying, she knew it was obvious and she felt utterly silly. Her still panting breath made it perfectly clear that she had just awoken from a rather eventful dream. And her screaming his name made it painfully obvious that the dream had somehow involved him.

One of his brows raised, but to her surprise and relief he didn't call her out on the lie. He simply continued to regard her with that same peculiar expression and she wished she had the nerve to ask him what he was thinking.

She had just dreamed that she was in her own bedroom, at home with things back to normal. Sunlight from her window had just been on her skin, warming her. And here she was once again, back in her prison, not a window nor ray of sunlight to be found, entirely cut off from the world above. And yet... she was not quite as devastated by her return to reality as she should have been. Because a moment ago she had also thought that Loki had never entered her life at all. Which, no doubt, would have been better for her. But for better or worse he was here now. Her relief at seeing him after that dream made her heart swell with what she had come to recognize as her irrational love for him.

She was glad to see him. And before she could stop herself the slightest of smiles graced her lips. She looked down sheepishly at her hands, embarrassed once again. She was nothing less than a fool to be smiling in her current circumstances. She was a prisoner in love with her captor. The small smile vanished as suddenly as it had appeared as the gravity of her situation once again hit her.

Jane continued to stare at her hands willing her resolve to harden before looking back at him again. When her eyes rose to search for him his head was tilted back to rest on the wall behind him, his eyes still fixed on her under heavy lids. His lips were turned down into a slight frown, brows raised as though he were thoroughly perplexed by her. His silence and unyielding gaze was beginning to unnerve her.

"I'm sorry I woke you..." she tried to break the silence.

His reply seemed rather mechanical, as if he was only half paying attention to his own words. "I wasn't sleeping, I don't require as much sleep as you mortals do..."

"Well then," she amended her statement, "I'm sorry I disturbed you..."

Her apology received no response and she sat uncomfortably, combing her messy hair down with her fingers to keep herself busy. She considered laying down and going back to sleep, but a glance at her watch revealed that is was almost mid-day. Besides, how could she sleep with Loki scrutinizing her from the other end of the room.

Jane could take his gaze no longer and decided to proceed carefully so not to anger him. She intentionally kept her voice soft and unimposing, sheepishly lowering her gaze when she uttered, "Please, stop staring at me..."

He blinked, coming out of whatever deep train of though he was in. The peculiar look was suddenly gone, replaced by his trademark smirk, and mischievous twinkling eyes. "Does my attention cause you discomfort, Miss Foster? My apologies, it's simply been some time since I've had a woman scream my name." Jane felt her face turn red at his crass statement and her expression hardened to compensate for the blush of her cheeks.

She swung her feet over the bed, finding her shoes. "You did say that I wasn't confined to this room during the day." She didn't wait for an answer before continuing "If you'll excuse me..." And with that she grabbed her duffel bag and barged out of the door.

As she distanced herself from the small room it occurred to her how unwise it was to indulge her temper as she had just done with Loki. Who knew what would set him off? But she supposed there was nothing for it now, she could only hope he would not be angry when she saw him next. Perhaps it would be best if she stayed away from their shared room for the day, give him time to cool off in case he was indeed put off by her abrupt departure.

Jane shifted her duffel bag to her other shoulder, acknowledging how sore her muscles were from her activities the day before. Her steps slowed, recalling her dream, and she came to a stop in the middle of the hallway. Her lungs took in stale air and her heart dropped when she remember the cool fresh breeze that she had dreamed was coming in through her bedroom window. She remembered that as her dream came to an end, she no longer cared for the comforting surroundings of her own room, finding herself in favor of this pit simply because Loki resided in it. Insanity.

A shower. That's what she needed to clear her head. And then food. She hadn't eaten since before her arrival in this place. She needed to keep up her strength, stay as strong as she possibly could. It wouldn't do to be starving herself. The man she had met yesterday, the one who had brought her bag to her and given her a food packet, Jason, he said his name was. He had advised her that there were showers on the west side of the base.

She made her way in that direction, passing and ignoring the base's residents along her way. She was tempted to look for Eric as she passed, but thought against it. He was no doubt still under Loki's power and she could not take the heartache and loneliness that came along with seeing him as he currently was. She was all alone in this place, and her mentor was so close by, and yet it was like he wasn't there at all. Jane decided not to dwell upon such thoughts, it would do no good now. She concentrated upon finding the showers. Perhaps then she would find a desolate corner to settle in for the day before she had to head back to the room she shared with Loki.

* * *

**Not entirely sure yet, but think I may** **switch back to Loki's POV for the next chapter, I think we need to see where his mind is at the moment. **

**Thanks for reading! Please review :)**


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